Instruments
Task-specifc focal dystonias are movement disorders characterized by the sudden loss of dexterity specific to a particular motor skill. This disorder is prevalent among writers, musicians, dancers, and athletes. Recovering your dexterity requires a set of general exercises plus specific exercises practicing the skill that is affected.
At this point, we have rehab protocols for Guitar, Saxophone, Clarinet, violin and golf. Our aim is to gradually add more folders for different tools and instruments.
Sleep therapy
Sleep is essential for the body to recover and repair itself. Adequate sleep can improve overall health.
Sleep hygiene and sleep therapy techniques, such as establishing a regular sleep schedule and creating a relaxing bedtime routine, can improve the quality of sleep for dystonia patients.
Dystonia patients may experience sleep disturbances as a result of their brain imbalance, such as insomnia and sleep apnea, and addressing these issues can improve recovery outcomes.
These series of videos have been produced by Ellen Friedman LPC, DBSM, RPSGT for the Dystonia recovery program with the aim to help members to improve their sleep.
Virtual clinic
We know how difficult it is to recover from dystonia. Dystonia is a multifactorial condition. You need to take care of yourself as a whole. Recovery is very challenging because many factors such as our physical health, our emotions, our psyche, and our environment can make the symptoms fluctuate. Once you understand that the way you exercise, eat, feel, sleep and rest will determine the outcome of your recovery efforts, it is crystal clear that a support network can be invaluable. Patients will benefit most by being followed by a multidisciplinary team of specialists – your neurologist, your doctor, a nutritionist, a psychotherapist or a counselor, a personal trainer, etc. Finding these people can be very difficult; in general, patients try different therapists for many years until they find someone who understands the condition enough to be able to help them. We know that the process of finding the right support team has been arduous and long for most of us.
You can access the Virtual clinic Here.
You can book a preliminary checkup and evaluation pre-training or a follow up with our physical therapist Michel Read P.T. here
Welcome
How to use the platform
Music. Low frequency sound stimulation
This wonderful collection of music tracks for the Dystonia Recovery program, introduce members into the world of the therapeutic use of sound therapy. Low-frequency sound stimulation (LFSS) can play a regulatory function over the brain by driving neural rhythmic oscillatory activity. Low-frequency stimulation can alleviate chronic pain, mood, insomnia, anxiety, stress, and drug addiction.
Music. Binaural beats
Loula and Julians Taylor have composed this wonderful collection of music tracks for the Dystonia Recovery program, to introduce members to the therapeutic use of the binaural beats. The binaural beat is an auditory illusion that is observed when oscillatory stimuli are delivered at two adjacent frequencies to each ear at the same time. This stimulus entrained steady-state auditory responses in the brain cortex at the beat frequency. This method can be used to induce meditation and relaxation states. The binaural beat combined with music can provide relief for the cardiovascular stress response and make you feel less stressed, induce deep sleep and improve your focus and motor control. The pieces on this folder include natural sounds to induce the perceptual phenomenon of autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) to induce feelings of calmness and relaxation.
To obtain optimal results please listen to every piece every day for at least a week in a row, please do not listen to more than a track a day and not more than once a day.
Qigong
Taiji and Qigong instructor Nada Ashkar has created in collaboration with Dr. Farias this Qigong form for patients affected by dystonia. This Fve-elements Qigong form, produces a deep state of relaxation and helps relax the muscles which normally suffer from dystonic spasms. The form is provided in 2 versions: the simplified version suitable for patients of all ages and all physicalities and the original form that requires a little bit of flexibility. This folder contains gentle exercises suitable for everyone that have demonstrated highly efficient as a complementary therapy to help patients affected by dystonia reduce their spasms and improve their general health.
Awareness
This class created by Feldenkrais Method practitioner Jakob Puchmayr, explores the use of slow mindful movements to provide strength, flexibility, and proper sensory-motor integration to our daily movements. Being aware of our own patterns of movements can help reduce dystonic symptoms, improve brain performance and well-being.
Jakob has selected for us a series of classic Feldenkrais exercises that can be applied to Dystonia patients.
Physical therapy
This folder contains exercises and strategies that different physical therapists worlwide have designed to help patients deal with spasms, pain and postural misalignments. The folder starts with the protocols created by Bibiana Badenes PT to help patients to re-struture their movement and tension patterns using, breathing techniques, weight training, gliding and somatic awareness. This protocol is adviced for all patients affected by dystonia and has shown very good results as an approach to treat pain and muscle tension.