The Use of Casts & Orthoses To Assist In Early Stroke Rehabilitation

The Use of Casts & Orthoses To Assist In Early Stroke Rehabilitation

A Forward Orthotic Thinking (FORTH) event in association with British Association of Prosthetics and Orthotics (BAPO)

Bringing together therapists and orthotists to explore and share best practice in gait education following stroke.

Come join us at Sandwell General Hospital for an informative event on the benefits of using casts and orthoses in early stroke rehabilitation. Learn from experts in the field about how these tools can aid in the recovery process and improve mobility. If you're a healthcare professional, this event is perfect for gaining valuable insights and knowledge.

Don't miss out!

PRICING

£85 General Admission

BAPO Members - Use discount code BAPO for £65 ticket admission price

Tickets Ordered before 01/10/2024 - Use discount code EARLYBIRD for £65 ticket admission price.

About The Day

There are many potential approaches to rehabilitation following stroke or other neurological insults. Some centres use casting and orthoses.

This event brings together practice from two different sites using casting as an early intervention and share their reasoning and approach.

Early mobilisation post stroke is emphasized as a key component to rehabilitation. The recently updated National Clinical Guideline for Stroke (2023) recommends people with weakness after stroke should be taught task-specific, repetitive, intensive exercises or activities to increase their strength. Exercise and repetitive task practice should be the principal rehabilitation approaches, in preference to other therapy approaches. Additionally, the guidance emphasizes that people with limitations of dorsiflexion or ankle instability causing balance limitations after stroke should be considered for ankle-foot orthoses.

Learning of any kind is dependent on having the appropriate demands on a system. Learning is reinforced by repeatable, consistent, and frequent demands on a system. The biggest demands on our lower limbs is gravity and ground reaction force. Ground reaction force generates moments about our weight bearing joints to which our neuro-muscular system must react to provide the accelerations, decelerations and stabilisation required to produce the smooth and stable pattern we know as gait. This study day will aim to explain the importance of alignment to produce normalised demands on our neuromuscular system, in order to elicit a more normal response after stroke.

Within the day, we will describe a simple clinical test to identify patient response to normal alignment and how orthotic techniques can ensure repeatable optimal alignment as part of a treatment plan. We will highlight the importance of early intervention to prevent secondary complications such as contracture, worsening spasticity and delayed optimisation of function for patients. This is highlighted with a discussion around a case studies.

We hope delegates will share their experiences to add to the day.

The Use of Casts and Orthoses to assist in Early Stroke Rehabilitation

Faculty

Aideen Steed:

Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist working in inpatient hyperacute rehabilitation for young adults with ABI (RHRU – level1 Rehabilitation, Northwick Park Hospital, London) and the RHRU Outreach Service for spasticity and complex physical management. Aideen has specific interest in contracture and spasticity management, and pain assessment in complex neuro disability, with publications in these areas of interest. She is member of ACPIN, The Society of Research in Rehabilitation (SRR) and is a Trustee for the Injured Players Foundation, (the RFU charity that supports individuals who suffer a catastrophic SCI or TBI while playing rugby). Aideen has taught courses in rehabilitation principles in Myanmar and more recently Orthotic management in Stroke in Nepal with Paul.

Mariam Hussain

Orthotist working at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust with an interest in stroke rehabilitation. Mariam is involved in assessing and applying casts as well as definitive orthoses working with the therapy team.

Barney White

Orthotist working at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust with an interest in stroke rehabilitation. Barney has considerable orthotic experience across many centres. He Manages the orthotic service as a whole and specifically facilitates fast access to early stroke and provides the service of casting as well as provision of definitive orthoses following assessment with therapists.

Paul Charlton

Orthotist and associate member of ACPIN. Paul has published his ideas on the importance of biomechanical alignment in gait following stroke in Synapse and also presented this at ACPIN Annual conference. Having worked with many joint physiotherapy/ orthotist clinics including The National Hospital for neurology, Paul has worked with Aideen for many years at The Regional Hyperacute Unit at Northwick Park and they recently delivered overseas training together in Nepal.

Host or Publisher Peacocks Medical Group - FORTH