NextStep Atlanta is the next step after acute care. NextStep Atlanta is a internationally recognized non-profit organization that exists to provide an improved quality of life for individuals living with a Spinal Cord Injury, Multiple Sclerosis, Transverse Myelitis and other neurological conditions. The Evidence Based Therapeutic Exercise Recovery Program at NSA is balanced with the importance of nutrition and metabolic support. NextStep Atlanta is committed to offering SCI clients the opportunity to push their self beyond the expectations of standardized medical care.
THE PROGRAM:
The intense activity based therapy protocols are individually designed to increase the probability of recovery, hope and dreams that were once lost. Our programs integrate the latest advancements in technology that focuses on re-establishing motor pathways and strengthening existing signals instead of compensatory strategies.
THE THEORY:
The theory behind Activity Based Therapy is to activate the neuromuscular system above and below the level of injury in order to retrain the central nervous system to recover function of a specific motor task. ABT weight-bearing exercises and motor skills training decrease spasticity and ignite the neural patterns that stimulate mobility. It draws on the central nervous system’s ability to spontaneously regenerate (neural plasticity) after injury in response to high-intensity physical activities like cycling and treadmill training. Locomotor training is a form of ABT that re-teaches walking by using a treadmill system in combination with manual assistance by specially trained staff. LT uses vigorous repetitive exercise to activate dormant nerve pathways by repeatedly stimulating the muscles and nerves below the injury site. It leads to enhanced neural communication and improvements in the ability to walk and stand while diminishing the detrimental consequences of physical inactivity such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, incontinence and poor muscle strength.