Doctors at Indian Spinal Injuries Centre gift a new lease of life to a 70-year-old through a rehabilitation program

2024-04-12 01:57:08 Health and Fitness

1025

? Earlier episode of stroke had left the patient paralyzed on left-side of his body

? Multi-dimensional rehab program applied by the ISIC neuro team helped him regain mobility

New Delhi, 12th May, 2017: The Indian Spinal Injuries Centre rehabilitated a senior citizen and brought his bodily physical movements to normalcy through a rehabilitation program. The patient had been rendered paralyzed on the left side of his body after he had suffered a stroke in the year 2016. The team was led by Dr. Chitra Kataria, Head - Rehabilitation, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre.

Sunil Kumar (name changed), a 70-year-old professor, suddenly developed numbness and weakness on left side of body followed by loss of consciousness. He was presented at a reputed private hospital in the city where doctors diagnosed him with stroke and left side body paralysis. This resulted in severe limitations for him in restriction in his mobility, inability to go about his daily chores as he did earlier and an increasing dependence on his family members for every little thing. When he was presented to Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, Vasant Kunj doctors at the hospital conducted a complete neurological assessment to diagnose his underlying conditions to formulate an impactful neuro-therapy based rehab protocol for further treatment.

?When Mr. Kumar first visited our hospital, the left side of his body was completely paralyzed, and his restricted mobility had impacted his quality of life adversely in multiple ways. We conducted a complete clinical neuro assessment and found that his cognitive functioning (related to reasoning, memory, attention, etc.) was intact. He was unable to turn his body, unable to lie down, or even sit and stand, on his own. Also, he had become completely dependent on others for his day-to-day activities such as feeding, dressing, bathing and using the toilet,? said Dr. Ms. Chitra Kataria, Rehabilitation Head, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, New Delhi.

Doctors at the hospital recommended an advance-level personalized rehabilitation treatment program to help the patient regain health and speedy recovery which included aerobics, muscle activation therapy (muscle tapping, vibration, joint compression, electrical stimulation), weight-bearing exercises, energy conservation techniques, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) techniques, balance training, strength training, and hydrotherapy, among others.

?Initiating rehabilitation program early is a strong predictor of improved outcomes for treatment of paralysis, neurological strokes, post-operative complications, and the same has proven to be true for this patient. The exercise regime helped him comprehensively regain the ability to independently carry out Activities of daily living (ADLs) without any assistance as such. Functional levels of ambulation have also improved up to a substantial extent,? informs Dr Chitra Kataria.

Clinical evidence suggests that the benefits of exercise-based rehabilitation program for stroke patients can increase fitness, strength, and immunity levels, and also prevent injuries and falls and reduce the risk of recurrent stroke. After undergoing exemplary rehabilitation treatment rigorously at ISIC, the patient has gradually resumed the ability to function independently in the last few weeks.

?The way Kumar has recovered is commendable, and we are hopeful that he will make a full-fledged come back to normal life within the coming months. Presently, he is walking independently with a stick (under observation). He is also able to walk on the ramp, and has resolved problems with sitting balance (static and dynamic). He still needs minimum help in feeding, dressing, and bathing, though,? adds Dr Kataria.

Going forward, Kumar has been recommended hydrotherapy to improve locomotion. Using hydrotherapy, rehab specialists at ISIC are now working on his left upper limb and lower limb to restore strength and balance.

?In water, fear of falling evaporates. Water buoyancy helps to feel lighter than on land thereby it becomes easy to ensure movement of legs and arms. It provides resistive forces which help in increasing strength, as physical exertion hydrostatic pressure has a positive effect on the lymph and cardiovascular system. The hydrotherapy treatment over the past few weeks has helped Kumar to increase significantly the range of motion flexibility and endurance. Also, the stable soothing temperature of the warm pool helps in relaxing of the muscles and lessening aches and pains,? informs Dr Kataria.

Stroke is increasingly becoming a significant cause of premature death and disability India, driven majorly by lifestyle risk factors. Presently, the incidence of strokes in India is much higher than industrialized countries in the West. Studies have revealed that the prevalence rates of stroke in India increase from 0.1-0.3/1000 in the <45 year age group to 12-20/1000 in the 75-84 year age group. According to WHO estimates, 80% stroke cases in the world will occur in low and middle income countries such as India and China by 2050. On the other hand, clinical evidence suggests that as many as 9 out of 10 stroke survivors may get a certain degree of paralysis immediately following a stroke. However, continued rehabilitation processes can help stroke survivors regain voluntary movement and resume regular life activities following the stroke.

ISIC Rehabilitation Centre offers state-of-the-art medical technology and has set benchmarks for rehabilitation treatment in India since its inception. On the other hand, the neuro team at ISIC specializes in a number of areas including cognitive rehabilitation, neuropsychological evaluation, endurance training, fatigue management training, speech and language evaluation and treatment, activities of daily living training, wheel-chair evaluations, and so on.

About Indian Spinal Injuries Centre
ISIC is the most advanced Spine, Orthopaedic and Neuromuscular Surgical centre in India with the latest state of the art diagnostics and surgical equipment and a highly qualified team of specialists recognized internationally who have been trained in leading institutes of India and abroad.
Indian Spinal Injuries Centre provides state of the art facilities for the management of all types of spinal ailments. It has a team of dedicated, internationally trained acclaimed spine surgeons providing cutting edge medical, surgical technology.