United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Joshua is struggling to separate deltoids and biceps. I went ahead and rented a 2-channel device and boy, has it been revealing. He can get a small contraction when he tries to just flex his elbow but if he tries really hard everything turns on. This is obviously why sometimes his movement is so "stiff". It has also really helped me understand why his scapula wings out whenever he flexes his elbow - the deltoids come on and just pop that thing right out. If I can get him to relax the deltoids, his scapula lies down nice and flat!

The 2-channel has really helped me with my "hands on" exercises and manipulations to try to get his deltoids to relax while he's using biceps. Its also pretty obvious that his overhead is really defeated by his biceps coming on very strong when he struggles to get above 90 degrees. It's great feedback... but the jury is still out whether or not separating these muscles will be possible with him. I'm pretty sure there is some cross innervation going on, as well. But if he can get a small contraction then I think if we just keep building on those - without struggling, which brings in everything but the kitchen sink - he might learn to differentiate the two movements and get more out of each. That's my hope, at least!!

Kate

I am also using it although I just recently got going with it. I am having a lot of learning going on, I have discovered that every muscle in my arm think it should control every movement. Its crazy hard trying to seperate my musles and use only one at a time. I am focusing on my biceps, triceps, and deltoids right now and I think I am starting to make some decent progress with getting elbow flexion with out triceps. Biceps and deltoids are much harder to seperate but I am working on it. I had my OT do a total eval for me two weeks ago so I can compare in the end of December and see if I am actually making progress range wise.
I love having the myotrac! Its a huge help to learn to correct movement patterns!
Hugs,
Amy 20 years old ROBPI from MN

Dustin is still using his too. He was using it to strengthen bicepts and learn to activate them in an upright position. He had gained 8 degrees and then tried strengthening without his machine. He lost the 8 degrees he had gained. He used the machine another week and gained back the 8 degrees plus 2 more actively. He has since been using it more regularly. We also discovered that at a certain point he would struggle so hard to bend the arm up that tricepts would kick in hoping to muscle the arm up. We now use it on the tricepts too keep it turned off while the bicepts are being fired. One day I did think he was going to get it to bend all the way up, when I got excited he struggled harder and the tri's kicked right in. Going to have to hold my excitement down a notch or two, lol.
Many of us post on the sEMG board more regular.
Sue

So far it has helped frankie in that he now knows how to relax his biceps so the elbow contracture went from 65% to 55% which is where we had gotten with serial casting but then the contracture came back doing this everyday keeps it at 55% but as far as new or more movement we haven't seen any I'm starting to think he will never be able to raise his arm past his chest or out to the side like angle wings. Frankie has really be working on the wrist flexion to get more strength so it will be less flaccid. He hates that exercise he says it really wears him out so when he does that one everyother day he doesn't have to do the others. He does say it make his shoulder tight and has to stop to stretch also. I'm trying to get him to go to mayo this spring but he's like Mom I'm done no more surgery's we go through this after every surgery it takes awhile for him to forget what he went through so I'm like ok let me know when your ready. We also only have 2 more OT sessions then he's done till he has another surgery Atena only gives you so many visits per year per per injury so I have to find out how to proceed with placements of the pads so he contiues to progress. He really only now whishes he had use of his hand and fingers if only Santa could bring him that gift. Mare

I am curiious of the long term results of all these electric devices that are comming out ? I wish we had more long term studies?

The biofeed back machines does nothing to the body it simple records muscle activity while the patient exercises.As far as studies you probably won't find any until one of us publish it. I don't even think the bio company's know the machines can be used for BPI. The company I got mine from didn't even know what bpi was. Frankie has been using E Stim for 14 yrs and Dr Nath and others believe it really helped keep everything alive to some extent. In 1993 TCH didn't do primary on babies older then 9 months they said it was to late the nerves would have died if avlused or torn. Frankie was the oldest 12 months Dr Laurent said he didn't think it would work but I begged him to try and it worked and Frankie's surgery gave way for older kids to have the primary surgery but the doctors all felt the use of the e stim kept everything alive even though there was no function. There are studies on both machines for use in other conditions just not bpi but I feel if it helps and isn't painful we will use it. Mare

How long after surgery can electronic devices be used on the injured arm i wish i could have seen it at camp.

Mylnn
Frankies was allowed to start back with his E/Stim as soon as the splint from his mod quad came off but that was like 22 weeks later. Ask your OT/PT or call Dr Nath he will have to write a prescription for it anyway.
Mare

It all depends on the surgery. I started using my e-stim on my finger extensors again a week out of my pec major transfer to keep what movement I had in my fingers while I was splinted in a non funcctional position. I could have started the same day but my marks were washed off in prep for surgery. So I had to wait until I got home to see my OT to find me some spots.

After my hand surgery a couple years ago I believe we started e-stim for fingers and wrist about 3-5 weeks post op.

I would say the biofeedback could start as soon as out of casts or splints. Migh be hard to do any thing while in the cast/splint.

Hope that helps with your questions Michelle.
Amy 20 years old ROBPI from MN

Michele,
FYI, there are pictures of Kate and adults using the Myotrac at Camp in Marieke's Photobucket pictures posted in her post about her Nursing Award Night...just keep clicking the pictures and they'll be in among the Camp pictures.

HUGS,
Carolyn J