BTE Technologies Inc., Hanover, Md., is introducing its next-generation Multi-Cervical Unit (MCU) for the evaluation and treatment of chronic neck pain. The MCU is used by physicians and physical therapists internationally to decrease neck pain and headaches by restoring neck motion and strengthening the neck musculature.
The improved MCU features a computerized interface that records real-time cervical spine movement and isometric strength in all three planes of motion. Not only does this eliminate the subjectivity of manual testing, but it also measures the consistency of effort provided by the subject being evaluated. The system then calculates an individualized isotonic strengthening program that is administered by the supervising therapist or osteopath. It is also the only integrated system available today capable of fully evaluating and treating the cervical spine in all three planes of movement.
Susan Stralka, PT, CEO of Baptist Rehabilitation Hospital in Germantown, Tenn., which recently acquired three MCUs for its outpatient facilities, says, "We saw an opportunity to seize a share of the market that none of our competitors had realized existed. Incidence rates and the prevalence of chronic neck pain and headaches are approaching epidemic proportions. Until the MCU came along, providers had little objectivity to offer patients and insurers. Through the investment in multiple systems, Baptist Rehabilitation has created an innovative network of facilities with certified providers that will impact the quality of life of those suffering from chronic neck pain."
"It has been demonstrated that when employing the MCU, the clinical outcomes achieved show superior outcomes to traditional interventions. For so many patients affected by whiplash, the MCU is proving highly beneficial. By tapping into clinical expertise from physical therapists around the world – in the U.S., Australia, the U.K. and Hong Kong – we've developed a system that bridges the gap between subjective patient response, manual therapy and technology-assisted decision making," notes Ken Johnson, PT, BTE Technologies' director of clinical integration.
"Research indicates that when we increase neck strength two-fold, it typically decreases pain by 50 percent or more. The MCU is already gaining significant acceptance worldwide and is proving advantageous to patients and clinicians across the globe," Johnson concludes.
The MCU's clinical successes can be attributed to the testing and treatment protocol, known as The Melbourne Protocol, developed by Robert De Nardis, an innovative Australian physiotherapist. De Nardis, director of the Melbourne Whiplash Centre in Melbourne, Australia, has been working with the MCU for more than seven years and has evaluated and treated approximately 700 patients using the system. Analysis of published data indicates that best results for chronic neck patients are achieved via the functional neck-strengthening program provided by the MCU. An independent study completed in 2005 at LaTrobe University demonstrated that the clinical outcomes observed using the MCU in combination with The Melbourne Protocol for the treatment of Whiplash Associated Disorders are superior to those achieved with traditional treatment methods.
Source: BTE Technologies, Inc.
