Product Spotlight: ABR Canada Advanced Biomechanical Rehabilitation
ABR Canada will be exhibiting at all 2014 Abilities Expos.
With ABR Canada Advanced Biomechanical Rehabilitation, we enter a new dimension in the treatment of mild to severe motor dysfunctions.
To date, most of the accepted treatment methodology has been to address the functional training of an individual with, for example, cerebral palsy. ABR takes a different tack. This rehabilitation program first targets the musculoskeletal system, arguing that this must be normalized before optimal function can hope to be achieved.
Though the brain injury may appear to be the culprit, ABR recognizes that a structurally distorted musculoskeletal system will be incapable of proper motor function regardless of the quality of the signals it is receiving from the brain. The ABR technique provides gradual unit-by-unit recovery through the meticulous analysis of the muscular skeletal structure and biomechanics.
One of the keys is in the fascia, the structure of densely woven connective tissue that surrounds and interpenetrates every muscle, bone, nerve, artery, vein, all internal organs, the spinal cord and the brain. The high-density of collagen fibers is what gives the deep fascia its strength and integrity. Recent research shows that what holds our body together is not the skeleton but, rather, this incredibly strong network of collagen fibers. While brain injury weakens this fascia, ABR—using mechanical stimulation—provides a non-invasive way to strengthen it.
Hands-on compression techniques meticulously and consistently administered by parents or caregivers gradually build the child's strength through the absorption of kinetic energy delivered by the parent's compression movement. Therapy techniques incorporate the use of towels, soft balls, etc. and largely characterized by quasi-static—or extremely slow—movement. A casual observer may not be able to discern any movement at all.
Tijana Foley, mother of Luka who has moderate hemiplegia of the right side, said, "We went to ABR in June 2002 (Luka was 18 months) and after 80 hours of therapy he started crawling (first commando style, then properly) and after 120 hours he started walking! His neck extended visibly, and his body shape changed. When we went to the hospital for a regular yearly check up, the pediatrician could not believe his eyes. He said that from the notes he had, the last thing he expected to see was a child walking, talking, opening the door and saying bye."
"ABR just makes sense for our daughter, Ruby, who has cerebral palsy," commented another mother. "We tried other therapies before we found ABR but we didn't see any positive results. ABR has changed her body so many great ways; we know ABR will continue to normalize her muscle volume and tone, giving her body more strength and function as a result."
The ABR training program is specifically customized to the individual with the disability. The first steps include generating a video of your loved one for pre-evaluation. Parents and caregivers who elect to continue are trained in one of the seven locations in North or South America, and return periodically so that the ABR staff may assess their progress and adjust their treatment.
For more information, visit www.abrcanada.com.
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