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Therapeutic Motion Simulation provides fitness for chronically ill people who cannot (anymore) or do not want to move due to an acquired brain injury (ABI) or paraplegia as well as for people with brain damage from birth such as autism, cerebral palsy and other developmental disabilities.

Therapeutic Motion Simulation is a powerful tool that can be used in rehabilitation (robotics) and care by physiotherapists and occupational therapists to improve the quality of life of their patients as defined by International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). The main objectives of Therapeutic Motion Simulation are: (1) to reduce tension causing amongst others spasm, (2) to improve the mood and (3) to stimulate physical activity for patients who cannot move, (4) to stimulate self-management of patients in order to improve their activities of daily living (ADL) by training their vestibular system and proprioceptive senses and by doing so to avoid/reduce the need for (para)medical treatment.

Therapeutic Motion Simulation has been launched in 2009 by Herbert and Cathrina Krakauer with the help of Tanja Ivanovski (physiotherapist) as a low cost alternative for horse-back riding for people with special needs. By creating a mechatronic simulation horse moving perfectly in sync in a multisensory (gaming) environment the benefits of hippotherapy can be achieved in house and so increasing the accessibility to a safe therapeutic horse-back riding experience. Based on the success of the horse simulation several other motion platforms such as a wheelchair stage, a bed, a seat and a platform for standing patients have been created alongside with other motion experiences allowing users to identify themselves.

Therapeutic Motion Simulation can be compared to serious or (exer)gaming by providing healthy entertainment but Therapeutic Motion Simulation is not cognitive as it does not require any active inter-action from the patient. Therapeutic Motion Simulation is using audio and video in combination with robotics providing motion to people who cannot (anymore) or do not want to move with a multifold effect; on the one hand to create physical and mental relaxation, to increase alertness, to stimulate basic physical functions and simultaneous to stimulate the balance by working on the proprioception, by using the effect of mirror neurons and so to activate motor learning in order to achieve brain repair as described amongst others by John Krakauer (Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience and Director at Johns Hopkins). Several studies (www.vita-care.eu) including patients with cerebral palsy, paraplegia, CVA, Parkinson, neuromuscular diseases and special needs have been conducted indicating that Therapeutic Motion Simulation has a positive effect on patients life not in the least because patients and their caretakers enjoy the treatment and notice progression.

List of Wikipedia terms used:

acquired brain injury (ABI) paraplegia brain damage from birth autism cerebral palsy developmental disabilities rehabilitation (robotics) physiotherapists occupational therapists quality of life International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) spasm mood activities of daily living (ADL) vestibular system proprioception mechatronic gaming motion simulation hippotherapy therapeutic horse-back riding wheelchair serious or (exer)gaming cognitive multisensory environment physical relaxation alertness balance mirror neurons motor learning brain repair CVA Parkinson neuromuscular diseases special needs John Krakauer Vitatms (talk) 18:23, 12 July 2012 (UTC)