A lot of people got to try out Joshua's latest therapy "gadget" at Camp this past weekend and I promised to post the info on where I purchased it on UBPN. So here it is!
The unit we use is a single-channel Myotrac. We purchased from
http://www.lifematters.com/myotrac_emg.asp
With shipping and handling the unit cost approximately $500. It is available from many sites, not just the one listed above. Myotrac also makes other units for clinical application, which run $2K or more. I don't think they are necessary, especially for a child. Simple feedback is better, in my opinion. 2 single-channel units could be very useful in trying to reduce co-contractions (one on the desired muscle and one on the undesired co-contracting muscle for instance). But we just have one.
All it is is a device which measures muscle activity. There is no stimming involved; it is completely passive and simply "listens" to the electrical signals given off by contracting muscles and translates that activity into lights and sound which give feedback even when the muscle is not strong enough to actually move the arm (or is being opposed by other muscles so it can't). It is soooo simple but the biofeedback it provided resulted in some INCREDIBLE ability changes with several of those who used it at Camp - and after only one or two sessions! I would never have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes...
I am working on a forum right now where more of the adults and parents of kids who tried it out at Camp or who are thinking of trying something like this can discuss the various aspects of using it in therapy. Right now I'm waiting on the go-ahead from those who I hope will be the main contributors to the forum. I learned SO MUCH from older kids and grownups (who could actually put what they were experiencing into words for me) and I hope that with a dedicated forum for discussion we can continue to learn from each other how to use this amazing therapy tool.
Stay tuned...
Kate
Myotrac for use in BPI
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Kath
- Posts: 3242
- Joined: Mon Nov 18, 2002 4:11 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: I am ROBPI, global injury, Horner's Syndrome. No surgery but PT started at 2 weeks old under the direction of New York Hospital. I wore a brace 24/7 for the first 11 months of my life. I've never let my injury be used as an excuse not to do something. I've approach all things, in life, as a challenge. I approach anything new wondering if I can do it. I tried so many things I might never have tried, if I were not obpi. Being OBPI has made me strong, creative, more determined and persistent. I believe that being obpi has given me a very strong sense of humor and compassion for others.
- Location: New York
Re: Myotrac for use in BPI
I think this is an amazing tool.
Kate this machine made my Camp one of the most amazing experience since I got my hand to neutral around 13 years ago...
Thanks to Tom for all his support letting us steal you from your family to try out the Myotrac.
I can't wait to get mine.
Kath robpi/adult
Kate this machine made my Camp one of the most amazing experience since I got my hand to neutral around 13 years ago...
Thanks to Tom for all his support letting us steal you from your family to try out the Myotrac.
I can't wait to get mine.
Kath robpi/adult
Kath robpi/adult
Kathleen Mallozzi
Kathleen Mallozzi
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Taneesha
Re: Myotrac for use in BPI
This sounds good, but I am having a hard time understanding exactly what it does, or what its purpose is. Can you explain it in simple terms for me? How long is the session that you use it each day? Is there any pain? Do you think a young child could tolerate it? How does it help. Sorry for the questions, I want to understand it and see if it will help my daughter.
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hope16_05
- Posts: 1670
- Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2003 11:33 am
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: 28 years old with a right obstetrical brachial plexus injury. 5 surgeries to date with pretty decent results. Last surgery resolved years of pain in my right arm however, I am beginning my journey with overuse in my left arm
- Location: Minnesota
- Contact:
Re: Myotrac for use in BPI
depending on the weakness of the muscles 5 minutes might be all that one can handle. My muscles are pretty week since I am still post surgical so I think I managed between 5 and 10 minutes at a time. For me there was absolutely no pain involved! So people have pain from light touch so it would hurt to take the electrodes off like it would hurt to take off a bandaid.
Kate is using this with her 3 year old son so it definitely can be used on the little ones
The main purpose is to isolate muscles and learn to use them correctly. Or just learn to use them in general. What the myotrac does is it reads the electrical activity from an active muscles ad shows you through lights and sounds when you are using the correct muscle.
Maybe Kate can explain a little better but I hope that all makes sense!
Hugs,
Amy 20 years old ROBPI from MN
Kate is using this with her 3 year old son so it definitely can be used on the little ones
The main purpose is to isolate muscles and learn to use them correctly. Or just learn to use them in general. What the myotrac does is it reads the electrical activity from an active muscles ad shows you through lights and sounds when you are using the correct muscle.
Maybe Kate can explain a little better but I hope that all makes sense!
Hugs,
Amy 20 years old ROBPI from MN
Amy 28 years old ROBPI from MN
Re: Myotrac for use in BPI
Here's a little background:
I bought my unit with the intent of trying to teach my 3.5 year old NOT to use certain compensatory muscles. All it does is display the activity of a muscle in lights and sounds; it does not provide stimulation. I had thought that his compensation using his upper traps, for instance, was preventing his getting more than 90 degrees overhead reach.
However, after just a few minutes of viewing the activity in his various muscles it became quickly apparent that his overhead reach was limited because his deltoid muscles would not turn on AT ALL above 90 degrees, whether he was upright or lying down. He had tricked me all this time when on his back, by using gravity but no deltoids!
Using the machine I was able to reward him when he did turn on his deltoids, and now we are working on gradually strengthening those muscles enough so that he can actually lift his arm overhead. He can do a proper "snow angel" (while laying on the floor, he can sweep his arm up and over his head without lifting it off the floor and his deltoids stay "on" the whole time!!).
Some folks had asked about the unit so I brought it to camp with us. About 20-25 adult, child and young adult with OBPI used the unit at Camp and I had the pleasure of watching most of them work with the machine. It turned out that this same phenomenon was present in some form with EACH AND EVERY person: they initially found it impossible to turn on some muscles when the arm was put in a position that it could not functionally reach on its own.
For instance, if the arm was held out to the side in the "airplane" positiong with elbow straight, most could not get even a twitch out of the deltoid muscles. At least at first. But most were able to get the muscle under some conscious control within 15 minutes of using the machine's feedback showing the muscle activity. For many, the resulting movements were astounding. What was remarkable is that some of these people had been injured at birth.... decades ago!
The feedback provided by this device is important because it helps the brain "find" the muscle so much more quickly, and might enable that process where otherwise it may never happen at all. A muscle contraction has to be quite big to be able to flex a joint in the arm. It has to be quite big before you can feel the "bulging" of the muscle. And it can't move a joint if opposing muscles co-contract even stronger.
An sEMG unit allows the tiniest contraction to be felt - one so small that it doesn't even product a detectible flicker. But the tiniest amount of nerve signal results in electrical activity in the muscle and it can be felt. It enables the user to "find" the muscle so much more quickly and efficiently... because they know the minute they get just a few fibers to twitch. And then they can build on that.
With clever application by the parents, I definitely believe that this type of biofeedback can be as valuable for babies and young children as it would be for those old enough to understand what is happening. At the very least, it can help the parent or therapist understand what is going on as the child struggles to perform certain movements and can give valuable feedback on if the exercises the child is doing in therapy are really affecting the correct muscles. We were able to quickly figure out that some of our son's exercises really did trick him into activating his deltoids above 90 degrees (such as bear walking) but for most he didn't switch on those muscles at all.
Kate
I bought my unit with the intent of trying to teach my 3.5 year old NOT to use certain compensatory muscles. All it does is display the activity of a muscle in lights and sounds; it does not provide stimulation. I had thought that his compensation using his upper traps, for instance, was preventing his getting more than 90 degrees overhead reach.
However, after just a few minutes of viewing the activity in his various muscles it became quickly apparent that his overhead reach was limited because his deltoid muscles would not turn on AT ALL above 90 degrees, whether he was upright or lying down. He had tricked me all this time when on his back, by using gravity but no deltoids!
Using the machine I was able to reward him when he did turn on his deltoids, and now we are working on gradually strengthening those muscles enough so that he can actually lift his arm overhead. He can do a proper "snow angel" (while laying on the floor, he can sweep his arm up and over his head without lifting it off the floor and his deltoids stay "on" the whole time!!).
Some folks had asked about the unit so I brought it to camp with us. About 20-25 adult, child and young adult with OBPI used the unit at Camp and I had the pleasure of watching most of them work with the machine. It turned out that this same phenomenon was present in some form with EACH AND EVERY person: they initially found it impossible to turn on some muscles when the arm was put in a position that it could not functionally reach on its own.
For instance, if the arm was held out to the side in the "airplane" positiong with elbow straight, most could not get even a twitch out of the deltoid muscles. At least at first. But most were able to get the muscle under some conscious control within 15 minutes of using the machine's feedback showing the muscle activity. For many, the resulting movements were astounding. What was remarkable is that some of these people had been injured at birth.... decades ago!
The feedback provided by this device is important because it helps the brain "find" the muscle so much more quickly, and might enable that process where otherwise it may never happen at all. A muscle contraction has to be quite big to be able to flex a joint in the arm. It has to be quite big before you can feel the "bulging" of the muscle. And it can't move a joint if opposing muscles co-contract even stronger.
An sEMG unit allows the tiniest contraction to be felt - one so small that it doesn't even product a detectible flicker. But the tiniest amount of nerve signal results in electrical activity in the muscle and it can be felt. It enables the user to "find" the muscle so much more quickly and efficiently... because they know the minute they get just a few fibers to twitch. And then they can build on that.
With clever application by the parents, I definitely believe that this type of biofeedback can be as valuable for babies and young children as it would be for those old enough to understand what is happening. At the very least, it can help the parent or therapist understand what is going on as the child struggles to perform certain movements and can give valuable feedback on if the exercises the child is doing in therapy are really affecting the correct muscles. We were able to quickly figure out that some of our son's exercises really did trick him into activating his deltoids above 90 degrees (such as bear walking) but for most he didn't switch on those muscles at all.
Kate
Re: Myotrac for use in BPI
Amy
Do you think something like this would help Frankie his estim and therapy haven't gotten him far his strong muscles have gotten stronger but there are some that just aren't kicking in at all and these are the ones that would give him more movement and function. How does this machine make muscles work that are weak or don't know that they even can move. Mare PS I'm so glad your surgery was a success
Do you think something like this would help Frankie his estim and therapy haven't gotten him far his strong muscles have gotten stronger but there are some that just aren't kicking in at all and these are the ones that would give him more movement and function. How does this machine make muscles work that are weak or don't know that they even can move. Mare PS I'm so glad your surgery was a success
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marieke
- Posts: 1627
- Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 6:00 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI
no external rotation against gravity, can only go to 90 degree fwd flexion, no hand-to-mouth
1 surgery at age 14 (latissimus dorsi transfer). In 2004, at age 28 I was struck with Transverse Myelitis which paralyzed me from the chest down. I recovered movement to my right leg, but need a KAFO to walk on my left leg. I became an RN in 2008. - Location: Montreal, Qc, Canada
- Contact:
Re: Myotrac for use in BPI
Mare,
The machine does NOT make the muscle work, it's the other way around. The muscle MAKES the machine work... The machine tells you whether or not the muscle is contracting or not. It is NOT a stimulation. It lets you SEE what muscles are working or not. It lets you see if there is ANY muscle contraction, even if you don't feel one.
This machine was so much fun to try out. I love it! I had it on and was using it most of Sunday afternoon, lol.. pooped my deltoid right out!
Marieke (31, LOBPI)
The machine does NOT make the muscle work, it's the other way around. The muscle MAKES the machine work... The machine tells you whether or not the muscle is contracting or not. It is NOT a stimulation. It lets you SEE what muscles are working or not. It lets you see if there is ANY muscle contraction, even if you don't feel one.
This machine was so much fun to try out. I love it! I had it on and was using it most of Sunday afternoon, lol.. pooped my deltoid right out!
Marieke (31, LOBPI)
Re: Myotrac for use in BPI
Mare,
The machine doesn't "make" anything happen, but it CAN assist his brain in the "search" for lost muscles. It won't work if there simply is no innervation at all. But if there is even the littlest bit of connection, working with this device could help him discover it and build on it where otherwise he may just not be getting enough feedback to tell his brain its getting "warmer".
Several people who used the device had been told for *decades* that their nerves had not regenerated and that was why their muscles didn't function. They were able to prove otherwise with just 15 minutes of work (and it certainly is hard mental work!!) so I would definitely urge Frankie to try it.
Kate
Kate
The machine doesn't "make" anything happen, but it CAN assist his brain in the "search" for lost muscles. It won't work if there simply is no innervation at all. But if there is even the littlest bit of connection, working with this device could help him discover it and build on it where otherwise he may just not be getting enough feedback to tell his brain its getting "warmer".
Several people who used the device had been told for *decades* that their nerves had not regenerated and that was why their muscles didn't function. They were able to prove otherwise with just 15 minutes of work (and it certainly is hard mental work!!) so I would definitely urge Frankie to try it.
Kate
Kate
Re: Myotrac for use in BPI
Here is the address to the site I'm working that I hope will help us all learn from each other how to best utilize this tool in therapy for our kids/ourselves. Right now I'm just trying to "download" everything I learned from all the wonderful people who used the machine at Camp to the boards there, but ultimately it is going to be a user-driven forum where we can learn from and support each other in using this therapy tool for BPI.
http://bpisemg.proboards102.com/index.cgi
The site is still in preliminary stages so we haven't quite ironed out the details of what users want public and what should have more limited access. It is a work in progress! I chose a different forum than another board on UBPN simply because users are eventually going to want to post pictures of electrode placement, to update their abilities and so on.
Kate
http://bpisemg.proboards102.com/index.cgi
The site is still in preliminary stages so we haven't quite ironed out the details of what users want public and what should have more limited access. It is a work in progress! I chose a different forum than another board on UBPN simply because users are eventually going to want to post pictures of electrode placement, to update their abilities and so on.
Kate
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Kath
- Posts: 3242
- Joined: Mon Nov 18, 2002 4:11 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: I am ROBPI, global injury, Horner's Syndrome. No surgery but PT started at 2 weeks old under the direction of New York Hospital. I wore a brace 24/7 for the first 11 months of my life. I've never let my injury be used as an excuse not to do something. I've approach all things, in life, as a challenge. I approach anything new wondering if I can do it. I tried so many things I might never have tried, if I were not obpi. Being OBPI has made me strong, creative, more determined and persistent. I believe that being obpi has given me a very strong sense of humor and compassion for others.
- Location: New York
Re: Myotrac for use in BPI
Kate
I think I got the most out of discovering that I have biceps, triceps and deltoid that could possibly work.
While Kate and I tried to find my deltoid and get it in touch with my brains she realized I only move my arm by using my traps!
Today I am using that deltoid and have ordered the machine to see how much I can build on.
As far as I know I have never used these muscles.
But they are there and I am going to try to keep in touch with them.
I had to much funny with that machine.
My passive range of motion is good it's just the active that is not good.
If you see me you would not think that I am moving from my traps and not using any of those muscles for function.
No wonder my neck and back are always in pain.
Let's hope this machine will help me to build up some strength and use these muscles.
Kath robpi/adult
I think I got the most out of discovering that I have biceps, triceps and deltoid that could possibly work.
While Kate and I tried to find my deltoid and get it in touch with my brains she realized I only move my arm by using my traps!
Today I am using that deltoid and have ordered the machine to see how much I can build on.
As far as I know I have never used these muscles.
But they are there and I am going to try to keep in touch with them.
I had to much funny with that machine.
My passive range of motion is good it's just the active that is not good.
If you see me you would not think that I am moving from my traps and not using any of those muscles for function.
No wonder my neck and back are always in pain.
Let's hope this machine will help me to build up some strength and use these muscles.
Kath robpi/adult
Kath robpi/adult
Kathleen Mallozzi
Kathleen Mallozzi