Etac Announces R82 Discontinuations for January 2025 Etac has announced products it will be discontinuing as of Jan. 1, 2025. In a Sept. 20 bulletin, Etac said it will stop offering the Orca bathtub; the Penguin bathtub positioning system; the Cricket manual wheelchair; the stroller-style Stingray manual wheelchair; and the Scallop seating system. Etac will…
Briefly: Etac Announces R82 Discontinuations; CP Foundation Lists September Clinical Trials
‘Healthy Brains’ Act Would Establish Program to Study Environmental Relationship to Neurodegenerative Diseases
H.R. 9233 calls for the National Institutes of Health to create collaborative centers for research.
A bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would establish a research program to study how environmental factors link to neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and atypical Parkinsonian disorders, among others. The Harmonizing Environmental Analyses and Launching Therapeutic Hubs to Yield Bolstered Research and Innovation in Neurological Science…
Philips, World Stroke Organization Urge Better Access to CVA Care
The technology to lessen the impact of cerebrovascular accidents isn’t always accessible.
Royal Philips and the World Stroke Organization (WSO) are partnering to bring greater awareness to the need for best-practice care for patients with cerebrovascular accident (CVA), commonly known as stroke. In a Sept. 10 news announcement, Philips said it is “Time for a revolution in stroke care,” referencing a new policy paper co-published with the…
New Research Examines Mobility Devices, Patient Characteristics of People Reporting Falls
The study used information from the Functional Mobility Assessment and Uniform Dataset Registry.
New research by clinical investigators at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of South Carolina reports on characteristics of people with limited mobility who experienced falls. An Aug. 19 news announcement from U.S. Rehab said the study — Falls in People with Mobility Limitations: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of a U.S. Registry of Assistive Device…
Inflammation Associated with Nervous System Damage in MS Study
Inflammation caused by common illnesses such as colds can impact the cervical spinal cords of people with multiple sclerosis.
Inflammation that occurs in parts of the body other than the brain and spinal cord has been associated with atrophy in the cervical spinal cord in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study said. The study — “Systemic inflammation associates with and precedes cord atrophy in progressive multiple sclerosis” — was published this spring…
Study: Falling, Fall-Related Injuries Are Significant Fears for Wheelchair Riders
Researchers found some riders were more reluctant to use mobility devices after falling.
A new study published in Disability and Rehabilitation examined wheelchair riders who experience falls and fall-related injuries — and how those incidents impacted their lives going forward. The research — “Factors associated with fear of falling and fall-related injuries among people who use wheelchairs and motorized mobility scooters: a cross-sectional study” — was published in…
New Drug Trial Seeking Participants with Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy
The Kinect-DCP clinical research study is testing a drug called valbenazine.
A new drug trial is seeking pediatric and adult participants, age 6 to 70, who have dyskinetic cerebral palsy (DCP) — including chorea, athetosis, or dystonia — that causes involuntary movements that are difficult to control. The Kinect-DCP clinical research study “is testing a study drug, called valbenazine, to determine if it is safe to…
Research Examines Characteristics of Clients Using Telerehabilitation for Wheelchair Assessments
The study used data from the Functional Mobility Assessment and Uniform Dataset.
A newly published paper studied the characteristics of patients who have used telerehabilitation for their wheelchair assessments, versus patients who had in-person evaluations. The paper — Telerehabilitation for New Wheelchair Evaluations: A Retrospective Study of Patient Characteristics — was published in June in the International Journal of Telerehabilitation. The study’s authors were Chelsea McClammer, OTDS,…
Penn State Wins Grant to Investigate ALS Speech Communications Possibilities
Researchers are studying how people with ALS communicate with partners and caregivers.
A new five-year, $3.1 million grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) will fund a Penn State University project to investigate ways to improve speech communications for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Specifically, researchers are focusing on how people living with ALS communicate with their “communication partners,” including spouses and family members,…
Briefly: NCART Posts Payer Relations Position; SMA Organization Approves Grant
Featuring the National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology and Cure SMA.
NCART Seeks Manager of Payer Relations The National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology (NCART) is seeking a Manager of Payer Relations who will be “responsible for implementing and managing the NCART State Advocacy Program,” according to the organization’s website. “The individual will monitor, analyze, report and work with a team of dedicated payer and…