The
NESS® L300™ is
an advanced neuroprosthesis designed to enable a more natural gait and
a return to a more normal lifestyle. It is a breakthrough intended
for treating foot drop associated with a number of conditions,
including stroke, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebral
palsy and incomplete spinal cord injury. In addition to facilitating
a more normal gait, the NESS L300 may also be used for muscle
reeducation, to prevent/retard disuse atrophy, to maintain or increase
joint range of motion and to increase blood flow.
The
NESS L300™ is intended to raise the foot up in
individuals with foot drop. During the swing phase of
walking, the NESS L300™ electrically stimulates muscles in the
affected leg to provide upward movement of the foot and
prevent drag in walking. It may also facilitate muscle
re-education, prevent/retard disuse atrophy (weakness from
disuse), maintain or increase joint range of motion and
increase local blood flow.
England Physical Therapy is the
ONLY physical therapy practice in
Orange County trained in the use of the
NESS® L300™,
a revolution in Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) technology
that can help patients with life-altering neurological
disorders regain lost mobility and recapture their
independence. Central nervous system injuries often
result in foot drop—leading to instability and increased
effort during gait.
Sonya Huizar Smith, PT, DPT
has extensive experience evaluating and fitting patients
with the
NESS L300 as well as Teresa England, PT,
MPT also being uniquely qualified to fit patients with this advanced
technology as it demands expertise in normal and pathological gait.
Teresa England, PT, MPT has taught Observational Gait Analysis
internationally, nationally and in university settings for 20 years
and is a recognized expert in the field.
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Would the Bioness L300™ technology work for me?
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YES
very likely a good candidate
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NO
less likely to be a candidate |
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First, what is your
diagnosis or problem? |
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Appropriate Diagnoses |
Inappropriate Diagnoses
(see explanation below) |
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● Stroke |
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Peripheral nerve injuries/damage |
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Brain Injury |
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Peripheral neuropathy (example:
Diabetes) |
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Parkinson’s disease |
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Foot drop / nerve damage from back
surgery |
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Multiple sclerosis |
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Complete spinal cord injuries |
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Incomplete spinal cord injuries:
trauma, tumor, viral |
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Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) |
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Second, do you
have any precautions or contraindications? |
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Precautions / Contraindications |
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Not a good candidate |
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Demand-type cardiac pacemakers |
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Not a good candidate |
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Other types of implanted cardiac
pacemakers and defibrillators* |
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Not a good candidate |
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Pregnancy |
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Not a good candidate |
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Superficial metal (like plates or
screws) in the lower leg |
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Not a good candidate |
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Cancerous lesion on leg is present or
suspected |
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Not a good candidate |
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Wound or skin irritation at the
electrode sites |
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Not a good candidate |
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Significant lower leg swelling,
infection |
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Not a good candidate |
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Lower leg fractures |
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Not a good candidate |
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Seizures* |
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Not a good candidate |
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Internal / implanted devices*
(pain pumps, deep brain stimulators, etc.) |
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*requires written permission from MD
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Third, are you able to walk? |
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Ability to walk with or without a
walker or cane either around the house and / or in the community. |
Not walking, confined to a
wheelchair.** |
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Require more than minimal assistance
from one person to stand or walk.** |
**Individuals requiring greater than minimal assistance, or that have
issues interfering with their walking beyond just foot drop, are
encouraged to schedule a physical therapy evaluation for the purpose of
determining if skilled physical therapy would be beneficial in
increasing their function and quality of life.
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Explanation for Inappropriate Diagnoses |
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Typically people with
actual damage to the nerve do not benefit from the NESS L300. The
NESS L300 works by stimulating the nerve that goes to the muscle
that picks up the foot. If the nerve is damaged, there is no way to
send the message to the muscle. That’s why problems that involve
signals from the brain--like stroke, Parkinson’s disease and brain
injuries benefit, and conditions that involve actual nerve damage
(like diabetic neuropathies, nerve crush injuries, complete spinal
cord injuries) don’t. |
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The familiar analogy of a
telephone is useful to aid understanding of how the brain, nerves
and muscles interact. In this analogy, the telephone is like the
brain, the telephone line is the nerve and the receiver is the
muscle that picks the foot up. Much like you could not get a
message through a phone line when the line is cut, you cannot signal
the muscle without a working nerve. |
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When the problem is the signal being
sent, the NESS L300™ works to time the signal. |
When there is no line (in our analogy
the line = nerve) connecting the phone to the receiver, there is
nothing to transmit the signal.
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To
schedule an appointment, or for more information:
Phone: 714-703-8477
Additional information can also be found on the
Bioness website at
www.bioness.com.
How
you can begin
Individuals come to England Physical Therapy in a variety of ways.
You or a family member can contact us and set up an appointment. Or
your physician or other health care provider can refer you. In either
case, we coordinate our care with your personal physician or other
care provider. In order to bill your insurance company, we’ll need a
medical diagnosis. Please contact us by phone at:
714.703.8477 or
email us at
info@englandpt.com.
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