 | Lucy Lavelle, RN, is a clinical liaison for Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital. As a certified diabetes educator, Lucy helped develop a class about diabetes that is offered each week to patients and their family members. Lucy is also available to speak to community groups on the topic of diabetes. Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital, an affiliate of HealthSouth, is a provider of inpatient and outpatient physical, occupational and speech-language therapies and exclusive home of the AutoAmbulator robotic treadmill. Lucy can be reached at Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital, 8338 W. 13th Street in Wichita, 316-729-9999. |
Health & Rehabilitation
2008-10-01 15:56:00
Interactive metronome
Question: My son returned from the war in Iraq with a brain injury. His therapist suggested we start using something called the Interactive Metronome to help with his behavioral issues and motor impairments. Can you tell me more about this technology?
Answer: The Interactive Metronome (IM) is an excellent tool for helping patients with impairments resulting from traumatic brain injury as well as other neurological conditions.
Like the metronome device used by pianists to establish a steady tempo, the IM system establishes a rhythm for patients to follow by emitting a computer-generated tone pattern through a set of headphones that the patient wears during therapy. A therapist instructs the patient to match the IM’s tone pattern by tapping their toes on a floor mat equipped with sensors, clapping their hands or reaching towards objects, etc. while wearing a specially designed glove. The mat and gloves record patient responses in milliseconds and feed them into the IM system. The system scores the patient’s responses and provides immediate feedback, which challenges the patient to alter their reactions in an effort to improve their score.
IM therapy has been proven extremely helpful for improving deficiencies in the areas of cognition, communication, behavior, and motor function. Therapy using the IM helps patients learn to filter out distractions and stay focused longer, improve stamina and endurance, regain their coordination, and control physical and mental activities. In addition to traumatic brain injury, the Interactive Metronome has been found to be a great tool for patients dealing with amputations, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, balance or development disorders, or just general functional decline.
