Dose of Therapy

Neuroscience and rehabilitation literature are converging to strongly support the idea that extended, task-specific practice is critical for producing lasting changes in motor system networks, motor learning, and motor function.  Presumably, people with neurological disorders must undergo large amounts of task-specific practice in order to achieve optimal outcomes.  Our laboratory has recently been investigating this issue in people post stroke (Lang et al. 2007; Lang et al. 2009; Birkenmeier et al. 2010).  The amount of practice that is needed to achieve the best outcomes in individual patients is unknown.   At the same time that our science is suggesting that more practice may be better, physical therapists are feeling the pressure of reduced time for therapy services in many neurologic practice settings.  How do you measure the amount of practice you provide?  How do you decide how much practice to provide for individual patients?  How and why do you prioritize practice of some activities/actions over others?  Do you employ methods to increase practice outside of the therapy sessions, such as task-specific home exercise programs or special devices?  What other innovative ways do you use to increase practice?  Published: 4/1/2012 8:00:00 AM
Source: JNPT Discussions - Category: Physiotherapy Tags: Blog Posts Source Type: forums