I Love Neuro

In this episode of the I Love Neuro podcast host Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS talks to Christian Leonakis, PT, DPT, Alanna Wathen, PT, DPT, and Danielle Parmenter, MOT, OTR/L, SCLV about Myomo and the MyoPro upper extremity myoelectric orthosis. The world of neurological rehabilitation, innovation continues to push the boundaries of what's possible for patients recovering from stroke, traumatic brain injury, and other neurological conditions. Enter Myomo, a groundbreaking myoelectric orthosis that's changing lives one arm movement at a time. This isn't just another medical device—it's a personalized technology that acts like a "helping hand" for individuals struggling with upper extremity mobility. Weighing approximately three and a half pounds, the Myomo device uses advanced EMG sensors to amplify even the smallest voluntary muscle contractions, allowing patients to regain functional movement. What sets Myomo apart is its commitment to patient-centered care. The device isn't a one-size-fits-all solution but a custom-fitted orthosis that patients take home after approximately 10 weeks of specialized training. Designed to look almost like something out of a sci-fi movie—think Iron Man's arm technology—the device comes in customizable colors and helps patients perform everyday tasks like opening doors, carrying groceries, or even walking their dog. The team behind Myomo, including clinical experts like Christian Leonakis, Alanna Wathen, and Danielle Parmenter, are passionate rehabilitation professionals who understand that recovery is a complex journey. They emphasize that while the device can be transformative, patients need realistic expectations: some might see compensatory improvements, while rare cases might experience significant neurological recovery. With Medicare coverage now available and ongoing technological developments promised for 2026, Myomo represents more than just a medical device—it's a beacon of hope for those seeking to reclaim independence and functionality after neurological challenges. For clinicians and patients interested in learning more, Myomo's website offers comprehensive resources and screening processes to determine individual suitability for this innovative technology. https://myomo.com/ LinkedIn.com/in/alanna-wathen linkedin.com/in/danielle-parmenter

Is treating dystonia making you stuck? Dystonia remains one of the most challenging neurological conditions for clinicians to understand and treat. In this episode, hosts Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS and Claire McLean, PT, DPT, NCS talk to occupational therapist Leanne Vitale, MS, OTR/L about her holistic approach that goes far beyond traditional treatment methods. Dystonia isn't just a movement disorder; it's a complex interplay of neurological, psychological, and sensory experiences. Leanne emphasizes that understanding dystonia requires looking beneath the surface—much like an iceberg, where visible motor symptoms represent only a tiny portion of the underlying condition. The path to managing dystonia is not about finding a quick cure, but about comprehensive, patient-centered care. It involves addressing not just physical symptoms, but also psychological factors like stress, anxiety, and personal history. Leanne's approach integrates sensory retraining, nervous system regulation, and personalized strategies that help patients gradually reclaim control. Crucially, treatment success depends on collaboration—between healthcare providers, and between the clinician and patient. It's a journey of patience, understanding, and gentle, consistent intervention. By recognizing dystonia's complexity and treating the entire person, not just the symptoms, clinicians can offer hope and meaningful improvement to those struggling with this challenging condition.

Are you looking for tools to challenge dynamic balance? Duh! Check out what makes the Gibbon SlackBoard different and how it can transform balance outcomes. In the episode, host Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS interviews Derek Mikulski, BS, CSCS, CPT, National Director of Commercial Sales for Gibbon about what makes the SlackBoard different from other balance tools clinicians use, like foam pads and BOSU balls. Derek described his entrepreneurial journey that led him to Gibbon. The SlackBoard was born from a passion for fitness and personal transformation, and brings slack lining technology into clinics, schools, and homes. The SlackBoard offers an engaging, fun approach to improving body awareness and stability. With adjustable lines and scientific research underway, the board supports everything from rehabilitation to performance training for everyone from stroke survivors to professional athletes. Check them out at www.gibbon-USA.com and save 10% with our affiliate code "neurocollab" GIBBON North America, Inc.

On today's episode hosts Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS and Claire McLean, PT, DPT, NCS talk with NeuroBiz coach Emily Duval Ledger about a topic many clinicians and business owners find intimidating: Money. This is exactly why we need to talk about it! Are you investing, saving, or putting systems into place in your business for money management and your future? If not, we understand. And we also want to help make this less overwhelming. Learn how to break down your financial goals and understand your true needs so you can create a business that supports both your professional passion and personal aspirations. In the episode we'll discuss some surprising and easy ways you can understand your business finances and explore retirement savings options, health insurance costs and other necessities. While not legal or financial advice, learn about retirement options like SEP IRAs and 401(k) plans, high-yield savings accounts, and index fund investments. We'll walk you through it and show you how to build a business that supports your life in all the ways!

Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFOs) are essential in neuro rehab yet can be an area clinicians feel a lack of knowledge. This episode is for the clinician who is both - super knowledgeable about AFOs, AND the clinician who could use more education. Hosts Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS and Claire McLean, PT, DPT, NCS interview Dr. Jennifaye Brown, PT, MSPT, PhD, NCS, CAPS about her work transforming the way we think about ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) for stroke survivors. Her approach goes far beyond traditional medical practice, focusing on personalization, functionality, and patient empowerment. Her level of understanding on the topic will leave even seasoned therapists with insightful takeaways. Dr. Brown doesn't just see AFOs as medical devices, but as tools that can dramatically improve a stroke survivor's quality of life. Her book, "Brace Yourself: Everything You Need to Know About AFOs After Stroke," was written to empower stroke survivors and their caregivers with comprehensive, accessible information about AFO selection and use. Yet there are important sections for healthcare professionals as well. It is an essential tool for the clinic. With a PhD in exercise science and decades of clinical experience, Dr. Brown continues to push the boundaries of stroke rehabilitation. Her work reminds us that true healing goes beyond medical interventions - it's about understanding, adapting, and empowering individuals to live their best lives. jvb physical therapy services, llc Order ebook (Flipbook or PDF): jvbneuropt.com/book Website: jvbneuropt.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifaye-brown-pt-mspt-phd-ncs-caps/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-0M-apffkZl4vqjAqomd8g

How well are you incorporating the hemiparetic arm of your client into every treatment technique? Do you know when to use remediation vs compensation techniques? Let's talk about it! On today's episode host Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS and Dr. Melissa Kimmerling, EdD, MOT, OTR/L dive into strategies for upper extremity recovery, focusing on patients with limited arm function after neurological injuries. Dr. Kimmerling, an occupational therapy expert, shares invaluable insights into helping patients maximize their arm's potential, even when movement is minimal. The discussion centers on the critical concept of not abandoning the affected arm, but instead finding creative ways to integrate it into daily activities. Dr. Kimmerling emphasizes that recovery isn't an all-or-nothing process. Even a dependent arm can play a meaningful role in functional tasks. Key strategies include proper positioning, weight-bearing techniques, and incorporating the arm into bilateral activities. Mental imagery and mirror therapy emerge as powerful tools for maintaining neural pathways and sensory awareness. The experts stress the importance of helping patients feel independent, even if their movement looks different from before. The conversation highlights the delicate balance between remediation (working to restore function) and compensation (finding alternative ways to complete tasks). Dr. Kimmerling shares personal experiences and clinical insights, reminding listeners that participation is always the ultimate goal - even if it's messy or imperfect. FUEL upper extremity levels

In this episode, hosts Claire McLean, PT, DPT, NCS and Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS discuss a new service Claire added for members of Rogue, her Parkinson's wellness gym in southern California. She added weekly, open exercise coaching sessions for all members. She decided to add these sessions because after sharing research articles with members there were a lot of questions about how to actually implement the advice into their lives. Claire shares the research articles that prompted the idea of adding exercise coaching, an article from Frazzitta (see link below). The researchers performed a month-long intensive treatment involving three hours of daily therapy for people with dyskinesias. The study showed significant improvements in mobility, with some participants even reducing their medication dosages. Claire's coaching calls offer an opportunity to teach people how to ramp up their intense exercise, which modes make sense to the individual, how to deal with pain, understanding medication adjustments, etc. Claire recommends a few resources, including Dr. Eric Ahlskog's book "The New Parkinson's Disease Treatment Book" as an essential resource for understanding medication optimization and challenging common misconceptions about Parkinson's treatment. Tune in to determine whether this intervention would work for your setting and how to incorporate it! Read the article here: Intensive rehabilitation treatment in parkinsonian patients with dyskinesias: a preliminary study with 6-month followup The New Parkinson's Disease Treatment Book by Dr. J. Eric Ahlskog, PhD, MD

If you're a business owner you're probably doing (or trying to do) social media in order to get more clients. How's that going? Don't worry - we know it can be a challenge! In this week's episode hosts Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS and Claire McLean, PT, DPT, NCS talked to Katie Nathan, PT, DPT, NCS owner of Move by Movement in Reno, Nevada, and NeuroBiz coach Emily Duval Ledger about Katie's recent change in her social media approach. She shifted from teaching to something more vulnerable yet professional in order to connect better with her prospective ideal clients. She shared how this shift has dramatically improved her engagement with clients, particularly those managing Parkinson's disease. The key to her success was recognizing that her personal challenges could be a powerful tool for connection. By sharing lessons learned from her own experiences, she created a more meaningful relationship with her audience. She shares how to balance this approach so it's not over-sharing and what she does to channel her best ideas. You'll learn what you can do to approach your social media with your own authentic voice and the systems you can put into place so you can show up consistently without the stress. Check out the past episode we did with Katie: Episode 220: Building a biz model mix of online and in-person with Katie Nathan, PT, DPT, NC Moved by Movement IG: @drkatiept

In this week's episode hosts Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS and Claire McLean, PT, DPT, NCS talk to Dharma Leggat from Superior Medical Equipment (SME) about some of the challenges and opportunities facing rehabilitation clinics. The discussion centered on how technology and strategic partnerships can help clinicians overcome industry hurdles. They discussed the potential of artificial intelligence to transform clinical practice. From streamlining documentation to providing remote patient monitoring, AI offers potential solutions to reduce administrative burden and improve patient care. Leggat emphasized the importance of working with technology partners who truly understand the nuanced needs of healthcare professionals. Since they had him on the show, host Claire, a clinic owner specializing in Parkinson's wellness programs, took the opportunity to voice some of her biggest challenges. She described her ideal management system - one that could track comprehensive patient data, monitor class attendance, and generate meaningful insights about patient progression. Her vision goes beyond traditional medical record keeping, aiming to create a holistic view of patient health and treatment effectiveness. Tune in for the discussion that ensued! SME, Inc. USA - Superior Medical Equipment https://www.smeincusa.com/ https://www.smeincusa.com/solutions - Check out SME's new solutions surveyed from our client-base to help mitigate most common clinical pain points https://www.linkedin.com/in/dharmaleggat/ - Connect with Dharma so that I could learn more about your clinic/practice and see how we might be able to help

This week's episode of the I Love Neuro podcast explored an innovative rehabilitation technology that's allowing rehab professionals to incorporate multidimensional balance training in the safest, most objective way possible right now. Host Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS is joined by Todd Gilbertson from MediTouch USA and Chris McElderry, PT, DPT, NCS to discuss the BalancedTutor treadmill. Derived out of posturography technology this treadmill expands beyond assessment and actually allows clinicians to treat balance disorders to the whole spectrum of patients in a safe, effective and objective way - no jerry rigging required. As a clinician it benefits you to learn about the latest technology and equipment available, so this episode is simply to provide you with an inside peak conversation about a piece of equipment that is reducing falls and maximizing function for people with vestibular and balance disorders. You'll learn about the functionality of the system as well as hear from Chris McElderry, a clinician who has been using it in the clinic for 5 years. He shares how the device is able to create precise, graded perturbations that help patients build confidence and improve their functional mobility. Todd Gilbertson emphasized the technology's versatility, noting that it can simulate real-world balance challenges like walking on uneven sidewalks or navigating crowded spaces. The treadmill's advanced features include 30 intensity levels of movement and the ability to create anterior, posterior, medial, and lateral perturbations. Learn more about the BalanceTutor by going to https://www.meditouchusa.com Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/todd-gilbertson-b609b830 Email: todd@meditouchusa.com Follow Chris at @theneuroguy_dpt Episode 280: Using Blood Flow Restriction Training In Neuro With Chris McElderry, PT, DPT, NCS