4 replies to this topic

[dukimen]

Have you heard for this therapy http://www.imf-therapy.co.uk/
it looks promising, but expensive. maybe UK people can comment

[Deej]

I had not heard of or seen this before I read your post. It is interesting and yes it is expensive. Also when you read the literature it is primarily aimed at treating impairments of the cerebral tissue (the brain) - like MS, stroke, cerebral palsy. This is an entirely different scenario to helping out the SCI community, particularly complete injuries.
It is well documented that it is possible to re-educate the brain following injury, but if your spinal cord is irreparably damaged, then in my view no amount of concentrating on paralysed muscles is going to make them move and any movement is likey to just be produced by the electrical appliance.

That said, the results of the device for the group of disorders that it is aimed at are impressive. Personally, I don't think I would be spending that kind of money to try it out though !

[TimRS]

Deej, on Aug 18 2007, 10:58 PM, said:

I had not heard of or seen this before I read your post. It is interesting and yes it is expensive. Also when you read the literature it is primarily aimed at treating impairments of the cerebral tissue (the brain) - like MS, stroke, cerebral palsy. This is an entirely different scenario to helping out the SCI community, particularly complete injuries.
It is well documented that it is possible to re-educate the brain following injury, but if your spinal cord is irreparably damaged, then in my view no amount of concentrating on paralysed muscles is going to make them move and any movement is likey to just be produced by the electrical appliance.

That said, the results of the device for the group of disorders that it is aimed at are impressive. Personally, I don't think I would be spending that kind of money to try it out though !

Not going to be on my shopping list either. The thing would have to be made of solid gold for that kind of pricetag. The way I see it, looking at the images on their site, the box itself is not dissimilar to the next generation on from FES. But as you say, us completes have got no chance of getting a 'mentally requested' movement. No track, no train, as it were.

And the cynic in me says here is yet another company trying to prey on the desperate. Especially the desperate with big insurance payouts. Geez, am I getting far TOO cynical, these days?

[wheels5894]

I'd be careful with this one because;

• the initial trail were with MS patients for whom remissions can happen at any time There was no double blind trial at any stage so other effects, such as remission dues to someone taking an interest cannot be ruled out.
  
• the way the system works is very detailed; the growth on new axion, plasticity of the nervous system; yet when they discuss their results on facial paralysis all the can say is "we suppose this is the result of " rather than have studies done of the nerves showing the changes.
  
• for any of their test groups, there is no attempt to use MRI to find the damaged areas of spinal cord and to show the changes supposedly brought about by their treatment.

The fact is that is far to much like other claimed therpies in the past as it is based solely on the ideas of the people with no proper trials and supporting imaging showing changes. KEEP AWAY from this sort of thing until it can come up with the sort of evidence that is needed and which, if the device works, would certainly be carried by the Lancet.

Finally, that price is enough to give you heart failure. If anyone has that sort of money it would be better spent on a nice new chair and a holiday. That would improve peoples' view on life rather more than this unproven device.

Edited by wheels5894, 29 August 2007 - 09:18 AM.

[dukimen]

dukimen, on Aug 18 2007, 06:11 PM, said:

Have you heard for this therapy http://www.imf-therapy.co.uk/
it looks promising, but expensive. maybe UK people can comment

thank you for your replies... I share your opinion too, no real prove that thing works. i will follow what is going on with this method and let youu know if something happens.