HomeMedical SpecialtiesNeurologyCircuit training improving access to concussion therapy

Circuit training improving access to concussion therapy

Published on

The acquired brain injury (ABI) program at St. Joseph’s Parkwood Institute is providing faster access to effective outpatient treatment for people who have a concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

Concussions are caused in many different ways.  For Marcia Gartly, it happened when she fell and hit her head on the dresser in her bedroom. Brenda Lenders sustained her initial concussion when she fell off her bike and hit her head, and Iraj Hadin’s concussion came from a kick in the head while sparring in mixed martial arts.

MORE: BUILDING A HEALTH SYSTEM THAT WILL MEET THE NEEDS OF AN AGING POPULATION

Previously, people requiring concussion therapy were seen in a one-on-one setting for one hour, once a week.  To see more patients in a timely way, the ABI team now delivers care in a group setting known as BrainEx 90. This name refers to the 90 minutes of brain exercises patients do during the sessions. The training is interspersed with education and rest breaks so patients don’t become overwhelmed.

Three BrainEx 90 groups are held each week for eight weeks, with up to seven patients in each group seen by one occupational therapist and one physiotherapist. Health Sciences students and former patients volunteer to help with the program.

MORE: GETTING PATIENTS HOME SOONER

During the BrainEx 90 sessions, patients participate in exercises for different skills at 15 stations in a circuit training format. The categories at these stations include self-management, vestibular rehab, vision rehab, balance and core stability, cardio and cognitive rehab.  After each session participants receive a program to practice these skills at home on days they don’t attend the group sessions.

“While the therapy offers many benefits to patients – from helping them cope with challenges with things like vision, cognition, headaches and balance, to learning return-to-work and return-to-school skills, perhaps one of the most important benefits is learning they are not alone,” says physiotherapist Shannon McGuire. “I notice many of our patients relish being in an environment where they’re not the only person with an acquired brain injury.”

 

Latest articles

Alcohol-related deaths up 18% during pandemic

Alcohol-related deaths increased 18% during the pandemic, as did hospitalizations related to alcohol use,...

The Canadian Consensus Statement on the management of venous leg ulcers

This Consensus Statement was developed with the objective of creating a concise document that...

A pathway to independence for patients with rare disease

Nearly 20 years ago, Audrey Gouskos came through the St. Michael’s Hospital Emergency Department...

Robotic-assisted rehabilitation now available in Fraser Health

Stroke patient Leanne Mork is learning to walk again with the assistance of a...

More like this

Robotic-assisted rehabilitation now available in Fraser Health

Stroke patient Leanne Mork is learning to walk again with the assistance of a...

Improving evidence-based care

Two recent studies from UHN’s Toronto General Hospital Research Institute (TGHRI) have advanced the...

Housing and hope: How a community resource worker at Providence helps patients thrive after a hospital stay

Most people view their time in the hospital as a brief interruption from home,...

Bariatric Centre of Excellence adds medical stream offering for patients

The Bariatric Centre of Excellence at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) introduced a new...

Working toward achieving the Quintuple Aim using holistic patient data

A new demonstration study from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) combined patient-reported...

AI-powered algorithm brings more accuracy to hospital discharge predictions

Accurately predicting when a patient will be ready to go home is at the...