Deltabalnce Therapy: Clinician's comments
View Clinician Comments on AMP® Appropriate Movement Program »
eQuilibrium® as a Therapy Tool
Craig Brososky, Physical Therapist, Edmonton
"I love the eQ because it is simple and effective. My clients can progress at
their own pace once they are familiar with it's use. It is stable and safe
and carries virtually no risk of injury as the platform is stable and
stationary. At the same time it can be easily progressed from simple to
complex and from easy to difficult. It also provides a rest position for low
back and lower extremity disorders while never having to actually leave the
platform. It looks good and performs well.
It has consistently surprised my clients with low back and lower extremity
conditions in its ability to effectively progress ability, strength and
stability. It is particularly good for early intervention rehabilitation for
lower extremity injury (significant sprains/strains/derangements and
post-surgical). It is surprisingly good at recruiting postural muscles to
help stabilize the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine as well as the hip
and rest of the lower extremity.
It provides a needed alternative to the BOSU, wobble boards, Fitter sled and
foam cores to help clients begin the process of early self-actualization and
self-regulated progression. Once clients 'get it' they are 'off and running'
and it sets the stage in the early phases of recovery for a good prognosis
of self-managed and client directed care.
I have yet to put someone on the eQ that did not benefit from it."
"It clearly demonstrates while standing downslope one reduces the EMG demands and lumbosacral compression. Lumbosacral compression is the most important biomechanical variable related to the causation of low back pain. A significant reduction in compressive load relieves the spine providing a scientific rationale for the sustained use of this device to relieve chronic low back pain"
Dr. Shrawan Kumar, PhD, DSc, FErgS
Professor, Ergonomics Research Laboratory
Department of Physical Therapy
University of Alberta
"The eQ Almond introduces changes that result in beneficial reductions in low back pain during prolonged standing. These positive findings were supported in the exit survey satisfaction rating with 87.5% of all participants indicating that they would use the eQ Almond if they were in an occupational setting that required prolonged standing work".
Jack P. Callaghan PhD, CK, CCPE
Canada Research Chair in Spine Biomechanics and Injury Prevention
Department of Kinesiology
Faculty of Applied Health Sciences
University of Waterloo
AMP® Basic - Appropriate Movement Program - Clinician comments
Craig Brososky B.Sc., B.Sc.PT, IMC
Here are some thoughts on AMP...
I use it because of the postural neglect I typically see with individuals diagnosed with so-called ‘rotator cuff’. When their symptoms respond quickly to movement and conditioning it becomes clear that a better diagnosis, though simplistic, is ‘stiff’, and ‘weak’. Typically the scapular stabilizers are unable to fix the posture of the shoulder joint itself. Hence the ‘weak’ part of the diagnosis. Using AMP puts the scapular stabilizers on demand and immediately addresses muscles that have in the past been trained in rehab (in part) with muscle stimulators or biofeedback surface EMG.
This is much simpler and more elegant. Put this in action in front of a mirror and ‘voila’, you have a global postural stabilization program as well as a shoulder program. Add movement and typically clients report they can barely move the shoulder. Hence the ‘stiff’ part of the diagnosis. Within a week this usually is 80% resolved. I use movement, and stabilizing in my shoulder clients and find that 80% of them get better very rapidly – so rapidly in fact it’s surprising. AMP is simple enough to take with you and small enough to fit in your pocket (literally). So it’s useful and very practical.
As a clinical note I personally find that ‘eyeballing’ works as well as measuring, and in fact to get stabilization in the scapular plane I find that ‘eyeballing’ works better but to each their own ;-)
Craig
As a chiropractor who deals with a wide assortment of musculo-skeletal injuries, I have found the AMP program to be a beneficial rehab tool for many of the conditions that I treat.
Shoulder injuries, including AC joint separations and rotator cuff injuries (including impingement and tendinitis) respond well to the inclusion of AMP. Upper back pain related to scapulo-thoracic injury generally rehabs far quicker with AMP as well.
I have seen chronic shoulder pain in weight-lifters finally resolve for good by adding AMP to their routine. As well, I have had baseball players progress from chronic shoulder injury to solid, stable shoulders with the introduction of AMP.
Additionally, I have seen trunk and pelvis conditions causing back and hip pain, especially those related to core muscle imbalance, resolve more quickly with the use of AMP.
Overall, I would unequivocally state that AMP is an important tool to have in my injury rehab repertoire and I highly recommend it as an option for soft-tissue injury rehabilitation and/or a preventative strengthening program.
Dr. Kevin Maloney DC
Clinical Director of Maloney Chiropractic and Soft Tissue Rehab
St. Albert, Alberta