WO2008097130A3 - Therapeutic suit for patients with cerebral infantile paralysis - Google Patents

Abstract

Voluntary movements are complex afferent systems, consisting of different types of afferentation, kinesthetic being the basic one. The patients with infantile cerebral paralysis have scant pathologic afferent kinesthetic impulsation due to the spasticity of flexor muscles, limiting motor activity (fig. 1). The suggested therapeutic suit of tight-fitting fabric with inducted spiral stripes of high density, made of elastic threads, stretching at the patient's moving in the direction opposite to the pathologic spasticity of the limb skeleton muscles, creates the opportunity to permanently stimulate outer peripheric skin kinesthetic organs (fig. 2). The signals from different parts of the skin, muscles, joints and tendons go to the 3rd primary sensory field of the cortex, directly adjoining the 4th primary motor field, the latter playing the central part in the regulation of motor activity (fig. 6). It is assumed that wearing the suit permanently builds up a new 'artificial' dominant center in the above-mentioned parts of the cortex. As a result of neurophysiologic phenomena 'competition for the common final distance' and 'central reli ef (fig. 6, 7, 8) pathologic activity of the efferent impulsation from the local lesion focus of the cortex to the limb muscles will be partially or completely balanced, thus, creating conditions for motor activity expanding. The suggested therapeutic suit can become relatively inexpensive subsidiary means for rehabilitation of the physically handicapped children and can be used with any degree of cerebral infantile paralysis in a routine life.