The Pulse

Patient Information: Female, Age 77

Diagnosis: Left Knee Pain

History: This woman, a long-term care resident of a skilled nursing facility, was referred to therapy due to knee pain and a decline in functional activity and ambulation. Prior to this recent decline, she was independent with ambulation throughout the facility.

Two recent studies show that ACP’s proprietary PENS waveform technology is effective in treating patellofemoral pain (PFP) and improving muscle function during movement.

Over the past several years, the body of evidence on the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) in rehabilitation has significantly expanded. VR has been studied for a variety of diagnoses including stroke, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, dementia, burns, pain, and total knee arthroplasty. VR helps enhance patient involvement and motivation while increasing the repetitions and duration of exercise. Benefits addressing ADL performance, balance, gait, pain, and cognition have been reported.

Patient Information: Male, Age 49

Diagnosis: Pneumonia / Neuropathy

History: This gentleman was found by EMS unable to get out of bed and covered in soiled bedding with insect infestation, and reported he hasn’t been out of bed for “quite some time.” He
was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia, then transferred to a skilled nursing facility
for rehabilitation services.

Patient Information: Female, Age 70

Diagnosis: Left Femur Open Reduction Internal Fixation (ORIF) / Pain

History: This woman was admitted to a skilled nursing facility for rehabilitation services following hospitalization due to a fall at home resulting in a left femur fracture requiring surgical repair. Prior to her fall, she lived in a 2-story home with her husband and was independent with walking and all activities of daily living.

Patient Information: Female, Age 81

Diagnosis: Distal Femur Fracture / Fall Risk / Dementia

History: This woman was hospitalized for a surgical repair of her right femur, which she fractured in a fall. Following hospitalization, she was referred to a skilled nursing facility for rehabilitation to address decreased functional mobility and safety. Previously, she also had a hip and knee replacement on the same side. Prior to her fall she lived at home with her spouse and walked independently, including up and down four steps at the entrance of the home.

It is estimated that over 30 million individuals (9.4%) in the US population has diabetes, while more than one in four do not know they have the disease. A staggering 84.1 million adults have pre-diabetes and, of these individuals, 9 out of 10 are unaware of the condition. Diabetes affects multiple parts of the body and causes many complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney dysfunction, diabetic neuropathy, orthopedic problems, gum disease, and eye disease. Managing blood glucose levels, a healthy lifestyle and physical activity can help prevent these complications.¹

Patient Information: Female, Age 91

Diagnosis: Left Hip Pain / Spinal Stenosis / Difficulty Walking

History: This woman, a long-term skilled nursing facility resident, was referred to therapy due to a significant decline in functional mobility including bed mobility, transfers and walking. The decline was preceded by a fall while getting out of the car with her daughter, after which
she experienced increased pain in her left hip and back. Prior to this incident, she required minimal assistance with most functional tasks.

Opioids are commonly prescribed for acute and chronic pain, including after surgeries such as THR, TKR, and ORIF. Opioids have numerous side effects and a high potential for misuse. Over-reliance on opioids for acute and chronic pain management has led to alarming trends across the United States, including a record number of people developing opioid use disorders, overdosing on opioids, and dying from overdoses. From 2015 to 2017, the annual number of opioid-related deaths rose 44% from 33,000 to 47,600.¹