Read about the experience shared by Rémy Dehez, a physiotherapist specializing in the hand rehabilitation & of the elbow, as well as practitioner Allyane, practicing in Capbreton.
He discusses with us the impact of motor inhibitions in the management of hand pathologies, and the contribution of the Allyane method to managing them in this specific indication.
Why did you train in the Allyane method?
In hand rehabilitation, we are used to fairly standardized protocols, especially for early post-operative rehabilitation, just a few days after the operation. Sometimes we have patients whose rehabilitation lasts a very long time; sometimes we can follow them for up to a year. These patients have blockages that they struggle to overcome.
It was while observing these patients and learning about the Allyane method that I had my epiphany, realizing that there were many connections between the brain, the hand, and motor control after a period of immobilization or surgery. That's when I realized there were solutions to be offered to patients who are often immobilized.
What is Allyane's contribution to the care of the hand?
Initially, the assessment focuses more on movement analysis, identifying the brain's adaptive mechanisms, determining which muscles contract at the right time, and checking for any motor inhibitions. This adds significant value to the evaluation and allows us to explore other avenues. Then, in practice, we can concentrate on motor imagery. This phenomenon is already described in the literature regarding the management of CRPS; we can observe real progress in these patients after an Allyane session, including an increased awareness of incorrect movement.
Patients, when they see themselves, often say, "It's true that I'm contracting my muscles incorrectly, that I'm not performing this movement properly, which may not be natural." In fact, it's awareness and motor imagery that really allow these patients to have a breakthrough, and subsequently progress quite rapidly.
Would you recommend the Allyane method to colleagues?
I recommend this training to hand therapists so that we can perhaps discover new mechanisms and find solutions to the various adaptations implemented by the brain, and find solutions for these patients for whom it is sometimes difficult to remain in rehabilitation for months and months.