245: Unlocking The Potential Of Virtual Reality In Neurorehabilitation With Ramiro Maldonado, PT, DPT
Release Date: 12/23/2024
259: Why Goggles Are Essential And How They Became Accessible In Vestibular Care With Patrick Esmonde
I Love Neuro
Vestibular nerds this one is for you! Even if you’re just a regular neuro nerd, you’ll love this episode. Erin Gallardo interviews Patrick Esmonde of Vestibular First. Patrick shares the inspiring story behind the creation of Vestibular First and the company's mission to develop affordable, accessible tools to support clinicians in providing better vestibular care. Since necessity is the mother of invention, Patrick details the process of building the first prototype of Vestibular First goggles in a single night, leveraging his diverse technical skills and material purchased on Amazon....
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258: The Best Marketing Strategies For Your Neuro Clinic With Sarah King, PT, DPT
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Join this conversation where Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS dives into Sarah King, PT, DPT’s winding career as a mobile practice owner turned online entrepreneur turned Director of Marketing for 5 rehab clinics in TX. Sarah goes way back with NeuroCollaborative to the literal beginnings. We discussed how it came to be and why she decided to step aside when it became official. Sarah then discusses her journey with Invigorate, her own physical therapy and wellness practice specializing in Parkinson's disease. She describes the challenges of providing care within insurance limitations and the...
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257: How VR Replaced Sensory Organization Testing With Dr. Geoff Wright, PhD
I Love Neuro
In this episode, host Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS interviews Dr. W. Geoffrey Wright, a professor and director of the neuro motor sciences program at Temple University. Dr. Wright is also the co-founder and principal scientist at UprightVR, a company dedicated to developing virtual reality-based solutions for assessing and improving balance. While some clinicians may have been lucky enough to have the NeuroCom Balance Master, others have been using simple foam to conduct an “objective” measure of sensory organization. Thanks to VR and specifically UprightVR, sensory organization...
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256: Overcoming Barriers To Implementing High Intensity Locomotor Training With Dr. Annie Tapp, PT, DPT, PhD, NCS
I Love Neuro
In today’s episode Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS talks with Annie Tapp, PT, DPT, PhD, NCS to discuss her research on the barriers and facilitators to implementing high-intensity gait training for stroke rehabilitation (and beyond). Months ago Annie was recruiting survey respondents for her PhD dissertation study on high intensity gait training in inpatient rehab. NeuroCollaborative allowed her to email and post her survey to our audience and today’s conversation is a follow up to see what she learned. Annie’s research data revealed common facilitators and barriers to implementing high...
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255: How We’re Going To Expand Access to Neuro Expertise
I Love Neuro
On today’s show Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS and Claire McLean, PT, DPT, NCS, recap their experience at the recent APTA’s CSM conference and what stood out. Neuro Collaborative was founded with the mission of helping people start neuro-focused practices and programs in their communities, to increase access to specialized neurological care and services. We grew into providing mentorship and continuing education, and part of the mission continues to be helping people start and sustain practices. We’ll explore the challenges of running a neuro-only clinic, including the need for...
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254: How And Why BlazePod + Neuro Rehab = A Power Combo With Michael Cummings
I Love Neuro
In this episode, hosts Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS and Claire McLean, PT, DPT, NCS sit down with Michael Cummings, the Director of Education for BlazePod USA. Michael shares his personal connection to neurotherapy through his experiences with family members affected by Alzheimer's and epilepsy. Michael explains how his background as a strength and conditioning coach led him to discover BlazePod and collaborate with the company. He highlights the seamless integration of BlazePod's "reactive intelligence" platform with his training methods focused on enhancing cognitive abilities with elite...
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253: Mastering No-Cost Marketing Strategies With Emily Duval Ledger
I Love Neuro
In this episode, neuro business coach Emily Duval Ledger joins Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS and Claire McLean, PT, DPT, NCS for a discussion about marketing and no-cost strategies. Recently Emily challenged her coaching clients to a "no money marketing quarter" - an exercise to hone their skills at effective, low-cost marketing tactics. The discussion highlighted several important strategies for neuro practices: Setting Specific Goals: Rather than vague aims like "grow my business," Emily stressed the importance of defining measurable goals, like increasing your client base by a certain number...
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252: Science Made Me Do It: Chosen VS Forced Behavior Change With Mike Studer, PT, DPT, MHS, NCS
I Love Neuro
Interested in the best habits for you and your clients to improve healthspan not just lifespan? Join as Erin and Claire talk with Dr. Mike Studer PT, DPT, MHS, NCS, CEEAA, CWT, CSST, FAPTA, a renowned physical therapist and author, to discuss his new book "The Brain That Chooses Itself." We asked Mike our burning questions from the concepts in the book to help demystify information around exercise vs physical activity, sleep, nutrition and more. Some of the questions we addressed were how to provide choice to clients in a way that doesn’t overwhelm them, how to understand when...
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251: How To Make Life Better For People With PD TODAY With Russell Meyerowitz
I Love Neuro
In this episode, hosts Erin Gallardo and Claire McLean interviewed Russell Meyerowitz, the founder of the Parkinson Wellness Fund, a nonprofit with a mission to help PWP (people with Parkinson’s) by providing funds for services and equipment that will make life better right now. The Parkinson Wellness Fund was born out of Russell's desire to provide immediate relief and support to families affected by Parkinson's, in contrast to the heavy focus on research and finding a "cure" in the other nonprofits in the Parkinson's community. Russell emphasized the need to address the realities of living...
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250: Uncovering The Role Of Speech Therapy In FND With Jenn Freeburn, MS, CCC-SLP
I Love Neuro
In this episode of the I Love Neuro podcast, host Erin Gallardo interviews speech-language pathologist Jenn Freeburn about her work treating patients with functional neurological disorders (FND). Freeburn, a specialist in acquired motor speech and cognitive communication disorders, provides a fascinating overview of the often overlooked role of speech therapy in this complex condition. Freeburn explains that 30-50% of patients with functional motor symptoms may also experience speech-related issues, ranging from stuttering and functional dysarthria to changes in prosody and vocal quality. SLPs...
info_outlineCurious about how using Virtual reality (VR) could help you with prevention, assessment and treatment of your neuro patients? VR and AR (augmented reality) is emerging as a powerful tool in the world of neurorehabilitation, and Ramiro Maldonado, PT, DPT, a physical therapist with UprightVR, shares the research on the transformative capabilities of this technology.
Ramiro highlights how the true power of a good VR system lies in its ability to drive neuroplasticity by creating immersive environments that challenge and retrain sensory systems. By manipulating visual inputs and leveraging principles of motor learning, VR tools can tap into the key principles of neuroplasticity, such as repetition, context specificity, and multimodal sensory integration. One particularly intriguing aspect is the concept of "avatar representation," where VR creates a digital clone of the patient, allowing them to witness and experience their own healthy movement patterns. This innovative approach can significantly enhance motor learning and functional recovery. Ramiro also discusses the potential of VR in balance assessment and training. By expanding on traditional sensory organization testing, VR-based assessments can provide highly accurate and standardized data, enabling clinicians to identify deficits earlier and tailor interventions accordingly. As the field of neurorehabilitation continues to evolve, the integration of virtual reality holds immense promise. By harnessing the power of this technology, clinicians can unlock new avenues for neuroplasticity-driven recovery, ultimately improving outcomes and quality of life for their patients.