Therapeutic use of neuroplasticity in occupational and physiotherapy interventions

``Activity based restorative therapy (ABRT) is ... evidence-based rehabilitative interventions utilized under the premise that impairment repair leads to improvement in disability and handicap `` (Moskowitz,C. 2009) . ABRT is a therapy that can be used in both OT and PT for improving normal functional movement using neuroplasticity. `` ABRTs tools can simply be described as follows: (a) patterned motor activation (i.e., locomotor training, functional electrical stimulated (FES) ergometry), (b) nonpatterned motor activation (i.e., recruitment and strengthening, task specific training), and (c) sensory stimulation (i.e., sensorimotor therapy) (Moskowitz,C. 2009).``

           The following interventions were used in the rehabilitation of the patient who the inspiration for this blog. As a result of him sustaining an injury the left side of his brain, he was left with abnormal tone and muscle weakness in his right upper and lower extremity. The goal of rehabilitation for this patient in physical and occupational therapy was to maximize and/or regain functional movement as a result of neuroplasticity.