A recent NPR article discussed how a nurse in the Cleveland Clinic’s Neurointensive Care Unit designed a study to discover if individuals with brain injuries could benefit from moving around soon after being injured. The nurse became curious as to why movement could help heal some injuries, but not brain injuries. This led her to design a yearlong study involving 600 patients with brain injuries, requiring them to get out of bed briefly after being admitted to the intensive care unit.

According to the results from her research, patients who participated in the study and started rehabilitation earlier left the hospital sooner. However, the nurse responsible for the study recognized how difficult it is to get patients with brain injuries up and moving around. Impressed by the results of her study, the Cleveland Clinic installed ceiling-mounted lifts and other mobility equipment so future patients could benefit from a speedier recovery.

One of the reasons researchers suspect movement can help immediately after a brain injury is due to neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to rewire and heal itself. The brain can form new connections when a patient undergoes repetitive movements, and this can help lead to a faster recovery.

Where Can People With Brain Injuries Get Help In Colorado?

In Colorado, family members and individuals with brain injuries can use the Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado (BIAC) to find hospitals and rehabilitation programs. In addition to hospitals and physical rehabilitation, the BIAC can help individuals with brain injuries find learning services and individualized treatment programs. Family members and accident survivors have many different programs to choose from in Colorado.

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