Cusick's Corner

Author: Beverly (Billi) Cusick, PT, MS, NDT, COF/BOC

Skeletal muscle tissues in children and adults with neuromotor dysfunction such as cerebral palsy and stroke commonly exhibit decreased volume and increased stiffness over time. Hypertonus, defined as an increased resistance to passive stretch, can occur because of secondary non-neural changes in muscle fibers, collagen tissue, and tendon properties.[1] Viscoelasticity is a tissue property whereby the faster the change imposed on fascia-coated muscle length, the greater is the passive tension generated in the absence of evidence of muscle
activation.

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Podcaster: Dr. Mindy Silva, Guest Contributor

WiredON Development's podcast "Spinal Neuromodulation in Cerebral Palsy" has been described as DROP EVERYTHING ELSE YOU'RE DOING AND LISTEN.

Did we need to shout that? Yes. And rightfully so. 

Dr. Mindy Silva has an in-depth chat with her guests Dr. Reggie Edgerton and Dr. Susan Hastings as they pull the curtain back on the mechanism of cerebral palsy, motor learning, neuroplasticity, and so much more.

If you’re not familiar with Dr. Reggie Edgerton, Dr. Silva describes him as the father of using neuromodulation to reorganize neural networks after spinal cord injury. And Dr. Susan Hastings is the physical therapist who discovered the application of spinal neuromodulation in the recovery of function for children with cerebral palsy. 

So pop those white earbuds in and get ready as Dr. Silva digs into their theories and hypotheses, practical applications, and current understandings of how the spinal cord is able to change the brain and deliver truly unbelievable outcomes in children with cerebral palsy.

And note, it's a two parter. Part 2 is a continuation of their conversation, where they get into the nitty-gritty details about ​​the benefits of low-intensity amplitude with spinal neuromodulation. Enjoy!

Listen in on the conversation.