By Graham Jones, MSOT, OTR/L
The Neubie (pronounced New – Be) is exciting new technology in electrical stimulation that can be a vital tool to improve performance of the hand and arm especially following a stroke or other event that produces neurological damage. Unlike traditional e-stim, Neubie provides direct current, electrical stimulation that helps occupational therapists (OT) better identify muscular and nerve miscommunications and promote increased sensory and motor recovery. Improved communication between muscles and nerves helps clients achieve maximal function. Using a process called mapping, our therapists use electrodes to identify the specific locations where muscular miscommunications are occurring. With this information, they can specifically target the areas and begin to “rewire” the communication.
The Neubie can be a valuable tool your OT uses to improve your hand function and recovery as it re-enforces the principles of neuroplasticity, or brain retraining, and increases the speed of your recovery. The Neubie helps promote improved arm and hand function by stimulating the muscles involved to create movement. The more movement that is encouraged, the easier it becomes to get the desired movement from your hand. Movement strengthens the connection between the brain and muscles. With the ability to facilitate increased repetition of movement, we can promote the muscle re-training required to improve active usage of the arm and hand.
The Neubie e-stim, can also help reduce the bad habits that come with compensatory movements and help retrain proper movements. With assistance from the stimulation to move your hand, we can help show your brain exactly which muscles are needed to do a specific movement. Using the Neubie in conjunction with practicing in a daily task you perform with your hand or arm, we can help reinforce proper technique and muscle activation to improve that skill. The support from the stimulation assists with your participation all while strengthening the connection between brain and muscles to improve your ability to do a task even after the treatment is over.
The most exciting thing about the Neubie intervention as a tool in therapy is the ability to have a higher intensity of treatment. This higher intensity is vital to help make the most significant changes with the brain-muscle connection. The Neubie’s intensity of stimulation within a treatment helps to make a more lasting change on the function of your hand.
The Neubie, in the hands of a skilled occupational therapist, is an important addition to the rehab process to receive better and faster improvements to the difficulties and challenges you can experience with your hand and arm function. It can be used with a variety of diagnoses including stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, and Parkinson’s Disease. The Neubie can help you move and use your hand better, to feel with your hand better, and even to reduce pain through your arm and hand. If you have had a neurological injury that has affected your hand or arm, call us so we can show you how Neubie can supercharge your therapy and help you return to what you love doing!