Disabled or impaired individuals use adaptive equipment to allow them to function both in society and at home. Equipment can vary from small writing tools to large motorized vehicles. The amount of adaptable equipment available is growing in an...
Adaptive cooking equipment includes a variety of cooking utensils and appliances tailored for individuals with disabilities. Like other types of assistive technology, adaptive cooking equipment is ergonomically designed to allow disabled adults to...
Illness, injury and aging can sometimes make it hard to continue what medical professionals refer to as our activities of daily living (ADL). These include such activities as bathing and using the toilet. If your condition is long-term, you may...
Adaptive equipment designed to help individuals with decreased mobility, balance, motor control or vision loss often helps the dementia patient. Other types of adaptive equipment are specially designed for patients with memory loss. Equipment may...
A lack of oxygen to the brain or a blockage in an artery can cause a person to suffer a stroke. Increased pressure in the brain or a blood clot can cause the blockage. Bleeding in the brain causes damage quicker and is more extensive....
Arthritis is a joint inflammation that can present with symptoms of pain, weakness, loss of range of motion and deformity that affect abilities to perform daily living skills. There is no known cure and medical treatment centers on medications and...
People who are living with spinal cord injury can do just about anything that anyone else who is not paralyzed can do: they just have to find alternative ways to do it. Part of spinal cord injury rehabilitation is teaching patients to live again...
Whether it is a professional game, a high school team or an informal recreational event, many Americans enjoy playing football. However, some people have limited arm use, greatly affecting their ability to catch, throw and tackle opponents....
People with physical limitations require specially designed exercise equipment. People living with an amputation, spinal cord injury, stroke, traumatic brain injury and blindness are just a few examples of those who might use adaptive exercise...
Disabled athletes take on all kinds of sports, indoors and out. The ski slopes are a great place for an athlete with limited mobility to take advantage of the many programs and ski equipment available. Most resorts rent adaptive equipment and...
When coronary artery disease leads to lifestyle altering restrictions, occupational therapy guides you to use different methods for daily living. While occupational therapists do not conduct cardiac rehabilitation, they are part of your medical...
Getting your child into physical therapy as soon as he is diagnosed with muscular dystrophy (MD) is an important step in caring for him during the early years of the disease. Learning what type of exercising your child can do at each stage of MD...
Blind or visually impaired people face many challenges. To enjoy an independent and productive life, they may need to learn to travel safely from place to place, to cook meals safely and perform other tasks of daily living, including becoming...
Fishing the "First in Flight" state as a handicapped individual is more accessible than ever. The state of North Carolina has one of the most progressive programs in the country for disabled-access fishing and hunting. The mission of the program...
If your child has Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), get him into physical therapy as early as you can. This form of MD mostly affects boys and is diagnosed when a child is between 2 to 6 years old. Your child's physical therapist will teach you...
Going to regular physical therapy sessions can be an effective management tool for some people with acute cerebellar ataxia. This nervous-system disorder, which produces coordination difficulties and abnormal muscle movements, does not have a...
Located in Hillsborough, North Carolina, Kaye Products, Inc., specializes in manufacturing adaptive equipment. Its products are designed to help infants, children and young adults with mobility impairments. In addition to posture walkers, Kaye...
Swimming is a sport that can be enjoyed by children and adults of many differing levels of physical ability. With the assistance of adaptive equipment intended to compensate for various disabilities, most people can enjoy aquatic sports. According...
The need for fitness is universal and applies to people with disabilities -- including those with spinal cord injuries. People with limited mobility engage in exercise for the usual reasons: to improve fitness, lose weight, strengthen muscles and...
Being confined to a wheelchair due to a spinal chord injury can have its limitations when it comes to working out. However, with the right mix of equipment and a creative mindset, you can accomplish a great deal in terms of strength, endurance and...
Massage therapy and physical therapy are practices designed to maintain and improve body conditioning and functioning. Massage therapy is part of alternative and complementary medicine and includes structured movements for manipulating skin,...
People who have a genetic condition called osteogenesis imperfecta, abbreviated as OI or called brittle bone disease, lack the collagen needed to build strong bones. As a result, people with OI can break bones while performing everyday tasks that...
Physical therapy is used to treat the muscle weakness and loss associated with Friedreich's ataxia, an inherited condition in which the nerves lose their ability to conduct impulses quickly and efficiently throughout your body. As a result of the...
Children with special health care needs can cause a drain on your family's resources. Many people in this situation are unable to work because their children need full-time assistance. Also, medical and adaptive equipment costs can drain your bank...
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke notes that each year in the United States, about 10,000 babies are born with cerebral palsy. A result of neurological damage during the pregnancy or during the first two years of life,...
Late stage dementia is marked by the inability to communicate or take care of personal needs such as eating and dressing, as well as an increasing lack of responsiveness. Family members are often most disturbed when a loved one does not seem to...
If you've worked in an office recently, you might have noticed something odd: workers sitting on stability balls instead of chairs. Stability balls, also known as fitness balls, can help prevent back pain and help improve posture. However, if...
Myositis applies to a rare autoimmune condition in which the body attacks and inflames its own muscle tissue. Inclusion body myositis, or IBM, is a specific form of the disease that manifests with a slow progression and weakening of the muscles in...
MS or multiple sclerosis is a difficult condition to treat. There are many different forms of MS. Some forms cause symptoms that are constantly present while other forms go through periods of remissions and flares. Multiple sclerosis affects each...
