Movement Analysis and Technological Rehabilitation in the field of pediatric neurological disorders

Title : Movement Analysis and Technological Rehabilitation in the field of pediatric neurological disorders

Abstract:

The focus of the presentation will be the use of technological tools for the assessment and the rehabilitation of children with neurological disorders. A brief historical introduction will be produced. Specific tools for the multi-factorial analysis of the movement have been developed during the end of 1980’s decade mainly for children with cerebral palsy. They produced new knowledge on the clinical interpretation of the movement disorders that will be discussed. These new notions and ideas on the motor functions promoted the extension of the use of these tools in all the fields of the movement disorders. Besides, departing from 1980’s to the present days, new tools were developed due to the new opportunity provided by the technological solutions and in order to overcome the existing limits in the analysis. The new interpretations on pathological movements opened the perspective to train the motor functions with innovative outlook. Furthermore, more recently, robotics devices were introduced in the fields both of movement assessment and rehabilitation. They permitted to perform tasks otherwise not practicable, but in restricted context, that is, the context of the single device. It is clear that high technology will permeate the future of the clinical activities; a process that need to be ruled. A process that is influencing our opinion on clinical running. More stringent relations need to be interlaced between research progress and manufacturing. Success and failure in the introduction of the technological tools will be presented in order to discuss which path will be more promising in future incarnation of this topic. All the items will be discussed providing clinical example in different neurological conditions.

Audience Take Away:

• The audience will be informed on the existing tools for movement analysis in the clinical context.
• The participants will be educated on the use of technological tools for the movement training in pathologic conditions.
• Interpretative tools for the understanding of movement disorders will be provided.
• These knowledge will help the participants in future decisions on the selection of the more adequate solutions for specific clinical purposes.
• Furthermore, thoughts on future areas and lines of research will be suggested.

Biography:

Dr Petrarca practiced for fifteen years at the “San Giovanni Battista” Hospital in Rome, specialized in neurological rehabilitation, where he built an original optoelectronic system for movement analysis on a microcomputer. Then he practiced, since 1999 to present, at the “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital. Dr Petrarca patented an original dynamic mechanical temporary orthosis for gait re-education in 1996 and an ankle and knee robotic orthosis in 2012 and published several papers.