Movement therapy Rewires the Brain

At the Taub Clinic set up by Edward Taub, patients are restrained from using the parts of their body that work so they have to try to use the parts affected by stroke. The patients are given exercises and unrelentingly pushed to try doing them. HIs program is an intense 6 hours a day for 10 days. Eighty percent (80%!) of stroke victims improve, and not just the ones who have had a recent stroke.

Taub’s methods are also used for spinal injury, and people with MS or arthritis.

Patients start out doing small things such as lifting cans or “washing” tables, writing the ABCs. Slowly, fine motor skills come back.

If you’ve read the Catnipblog page   “Maui’s Healing Tale”

you know  about brain plasticity and that CATNIPblog was inspired by and dedicated to Peggy’s cat Maui who lived to show us the brain CAN be rewired and healing IS possible.  

If you haven’t read the page .. . . after losing the use of his back legs Maui didn’t need a physical therapist, a coach, or a professional of any kind. He had his own reasons to use his back legs again and he just kept at it. Peggy wrote and illustrated a children’s book  that tells Maui’s story: “The Pulling, Climbing, Falling Down Tale of Maui and His Back Legs”.

With encouragement from family and friends (a LOT of encouragement) Peggy has make the book available on Amazon and Kindle.

Maui never heard of The Tuab Clinic and proved through sheer determination the brain is plastic.   He also inspired Peggy and I to blog about neuroscience and mind-body health!

jw

Check out “The Brain That Changes Itself” by Norman Doidge for an interesting and scientific read