[misc.handicap] Petrofsky center

Pandora.Nigh@f3.n157.z1.fidonet.org (Pandora Nigh) (11/21/90)

Index Number: 11901

     Hi Frank, finaly found one of the things on Petrofsky in my files. 
I unfourtunately do not have a seperate file for para-walking centers 
and have creatively filed the rest under something other than computer 
stuff. But here is what I have - Dr. Petrofsky has pioneered work that 
allowed people to exercise their paralyzed muscles and walk under 
computer control. He won the Inventor of the Year Award for the USA and 
was nominated for a Nobel prize for this research. He now has 2 
rehabilitation and research centers; The Petrofsky center for 
Rehabilitation and Research 
13756 Alton Parkway 
Suite E 
Irvine, California 92718 
(714) 855-48837 
and the Petrofsky-Allied Center for Neuromuscular Rehavilitation
    475 Morgan Highway
    Box 1103
    Scranton, PA 18501
    (717) 348-1350 
What the specialize in rehab and research is basic fitness utilizing FES 
exercise, biofeedback, airobic conditioning and electrical stimulation. 
The use a FES bicycle Ergometric Programs, Gait training program for 
people with low-level or incomplete paralysis that tries to get people 
walking without electrical stimulation. Biofeedback gait trainin which 
uses sophisticated EMG training. A Standing Program, a cardiovascular 
conditioning program, weightlifting and fitness. They are also working 
on Computer aided Ambulation, bladder biofeedback to regain some control 
of bladder function, computer aided hand control, FES for denervated 
muscle, recreational FES and what kind of worried me - Less Painful FES 
for those with sensation for whom FES is to painful that utilizes a new 
type of electrical stimulation with a more comfortable wave form.
     I think that I also read somewhere that basically the technichs 
work only on recently injured. It may not help someone after 9yrs, but 
she can contact them in PA and check on that. Hope this gives her some 
info and I figure PA is lot closer than Cal and might save a bit of 
money. I could not find anything on cost or coverage however and would 
tend to beleive that this is not covered by anything.
                                    Pandora

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Frank.Whitney@f1000.n261.z1.fidonet.org (Frank Whitney) (11/21/90)

Index Number: 11907

>     I think that I also read somewhere that basically the technichs work 
>only on recently injured. It may not help someone after 9yrs, but she can 
>contact them in PA and check on that. Hope this gives her some info and I 
>figure PA is lot closer than Cal and might save a bit of money. I could not 
>find anything on cost or coverage however and would tend to beleive that 
>this is not covered by anything. 
>                                    Pandora 
Thanks for the information.  I've talked to her yesterday and found 
that she's got an uncle that lives within a 30 minute drive from the  
Walker Institute in California.  The testing would last for two days 
and she would visit with him either before or after.  Thank goodness 
she's just trying to find information on the subject and isn't looking 
for a miracle cure.  Also she said that the treatment would be covered 
by her insurance so cost is less of a factor.  She's said that if she 
were to go for the 9 month treatment that she and her husband and baby 
would go with her.  I'll be training her on using the DragonDictate 
speech recognition system so we'll probably get to be pretty good  
friends.
Thanks again part of her wanting treatment is to prevent muscle 
atrophy in her legs and to give her just a little more strength.  
She's approaching the whole thing with an open mind and just wants the  
facts even if their negative.
Frank.

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Pandora.Nigh@f3.n157.z1.fidonet.org (Pandora Nigh) (11/28/90)

Index Number: 11996

      Hi Frank, the impression that I get from all the material on these 
types of clinics is that basically what you can expect from them is just 
toning of muscles. I don't think and Petrofsy doesn't overly push in his 
hand outs the ability to make people walk again. But what bothers me 
about all of this is that I think you can  work a program on your own or 
through your doctor with a PT at a much less cost and probably get the 
same results plus the added bonus that you don't have to move half way 
across the country.
                          Pandora

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