Marianjoy Acquires Armeo®Spring Arm and Hand Rehabilitation Exoskeleton at Oakbrook Terrace Facility
Wheaton, Illinois (PRWEB) May 04, 2015 -- Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital has expanded treatment options for patients with arm and hand impairments by acquiring the Armeo®Spring arm and hand rehabilitation exoskeleton at its Oakbrook Terrace network site.
Secured through grant support of a Chicago-area foundation, the Armeo®Spring is a highly-regarded treatment option for patients with upper extremity weakness or paralysis. In acquiring the Armeo®Spring, Marianjoy becomes one of just four Illinois providers offering treatment with the equipment.
Dr. Noel Rao, Marianjoy Residency Director, has championed the acquisition of the Armeo®Spring, which may be an innovative treatment option for patients recovering from stroke, brain injury or other neurologic injury.
“Individuals with stroke affected by upper extremity paralysis have limited treatment options,” Rao said. “The Armeo®Spring provides a novel method of treatment to facilitate recovery of lost movement.”
The Armeo®Spring is a robotic exoskeleton that can serve patients with varying degrees of arm and hand functionality. The device embraces the whole arm, from shoulder to hand, and counterbalances the weight of the patient’s arm, enhancing any residual function and neuromuscular control to assist active movement across a 3-D workspace. Patients complete tasks from a large library of real-life simulating and game-like movement exercises supported by a virtual-reality training environment.
Though the Armeo®Spring has only been available for clinical use for a limited time, research with the technology suggests that patients treated with the device maintained better functional gains than those not treated with the equipment. The Armeo®Spring’s capabilities support the rapidly advancing concept of brain neuroplasticity—the capability of neurons in the brain to reorganize and reconnect to new neural pathways around damaged areas.
About Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital
Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital is a nonprofit teaching hospital in Wheaton, Illinois, dedicated to the delivery of physical medicine and rehabilitation programs including stroke, neuromuscular, orthopedic, brain injury, spinal cord injury, and pediatrics. Marianjoy’s state-of-the-art, 128 private room replacement hospital is designed to provide rehabilitative care in a naturally holistic setting. Founded in 1972, Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital maintains an extensive network of inpatient, subacute, and outpatient sites and physician clinics throughout the Chicago area. Marianjoy is a member of Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare. To learn more, visit http://www.marianjoy.org.
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Evan Munch, Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital, http://www.Marianjoy.org, +1 6309097514, [email protected]
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