Important Facts About Stage 2 of Stroke Recovery

As stroke survivors recover, most gradually regain strength and movement in the muscles and may eventually enjoy full restoration of function. They may regain reflexes first, then voluntary movements, and may even enjoy full restoration of function eventually. Since the 1970’s, the Brunnstrom Approach has helped us divide this post-stroke progress into a series of seven distinct stages. These stages of stroke recovery, which are marked by synergies of different limbs, begin with flaccid muscles and no movement (voluntary or otherwise). However, stage 2 marks an important milestone: the return of movement. Today, occupational and physical therapists use Brunnstrom’s stages to guide...
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It felt easier to walk and they enjoyed the low profile of the SaeboStep!

My name is Katie and I am a pediatric physical therapist. I have long thought of Saebo as a company geared towards occupational therapy for rehab of the hand/arm. Recently, I attended an in-service by a Saebo rep where I learned about the SaeboStep. Our rep, Lanie noted that most clinics she has worked with have used the SaeboStep for post-stroke for helping with foot drop, so she was more than willing to let me have a trial to use with my pediatric population. Since then, I have used the SaeboStep with several of my older kiddos, some who have varying forms of Cerebral Palsy. With...
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He reported improvement after the first day!

I recently used the SaeboStim Micro with a patient in his seventies who had a stroke (CVA) four months prior. He was receiving inpatient rehab at our skilled nursing facility.  He had made significant progress regaining motor function but continued to have impaired sensation in his hand. He reported a continuous tingling feeling. He also had difficulty distinguishing different sensations (sharp, dull, smooth, soft, hard, etc). This made many daily tasks harder. For example, buttoning a shirt took concentration as he struggled to feel the difference between the hard button and the pliable cloth. Many other tasks similarly took extra effort and...
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Hand Splints and Contracture: What Occupational Therapists Need to Know

Suffering a stroke is debilitating and scary, and survivors are often affected much longer than the stroke itself actually lasts. Many patients experience spasticity and contracture during their stroke recovery period. These ailments affect the muscles of the distressed wrist and hand within days of stroke recovery, which can lead to a painful and permanently clenched hand. Occupational therapists often treat spasticity using static hand splinting. This slows the quick progression of contractures and may even be able to prevent it from spreading throughout the patient’s hand and wrist. While static splints are commonly used, there has not been enough medical research...
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