Training with Music: inmuRELAX and inmuDANCE Make Exercise Fun and Motivating

Overcoming Training Challenges

Training sessions with individuals who have brain injuries and epilepsy can be particularly challenging. This is something Julie Krohne Christiansen experiences daily in her role as a physiotherapist at a residential facility for 21 adults with epilepsy. To address these challenges, Julie has incorporated inmuRELAX and inmuDANCE sensory cushions into her work, and the difference has been remarkable.

Julie frequently faces the difficulty of managing varying arousal levels among the residents during group training sessions. Some residents are in high arousal and need to be calmed before they can focus on the exercises, while others are in too low arousal and need stimulation to become engaged. The inmu sensory cushions have proven to be the perfect solution. The musical and tactile stimulation from inmuRELAX helps to calm those in high arousal, allowing them to focus and maintain their concentration during exercises. Conversely, inmuDANCE helps to awaken and engage those in low arousal, ensuring they are attentive and ready to participate.

Transformative Results

Since introducing the inmu cushions, Julie has noticed significant improvements. Because the sensory cushion help regulate residents’ arousal levels, they can perform exercises together in an effective way. This not only makes the training sessions more enjoyable but also enhances the overall engagement and participation of all residents.

The familiarity and comfort the residents have developed with the inmu cushions during group training sessions have led many of them to acquire their own. They find that the cushions provide them with relaxation and aid in improving their sleep. For many residents, adapting to new things can be challenging, but seeing their fellow residents use the inmu cushions has encouraged them to try them as well. Julie highlights the importance of this shared experience:

“We have used both inmuRELAX and inmuDANCE during our training sessions. Residents have been able to see how they work on their fellow residents. We’ve guided them by saying things like, ‘Try placing it here,’ or ‘Try doing this.’ This hands-on approach has helped them understand the benefits. Gradually, we’ve introduced the cushions for individual use, and it’s made a big difference.”

Julie further explains:

“If we had just handed them the cushions and said, ‘Here, we found this for you. Just sit and listen to it,’ I don’t think we would have gotten the same response. The group setting and the ability to observe and learn from each other were crucial in gaining acceptance and enthusiasm for using the inmu cushions.”

Impact on daily life

Beyond training sessions, the inmu cushions have positively impacted other areas of the residents’ lives. Julie has observed that the cushions not only help with relaxation and sleep but also improve everyday actions such as eating. For residents with high arousal, the calming effect of the inmuRELAX cushion helps them to settle down and focus on their meals. For those with too low arousal, the stimulating effect of the inmuDANCE cushion helps to increase their attention, making mealtime more engaging and enjoyable.

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New opportunities with the inmu vest

The inmu vest is not just for people with motor challenges. The vest opens up new possibilities for activities and therapeutic and educational applications. When wearing the vest, the vibrations from the inmu are clearly felt in the body. This provides a continuous stimulation that can energise, motivate and regulate arousal.

The video with Kasper shows an example of how the vest can be used. With inmuRHYTHM in the vest, Kasper receives stimulation that allows him to feel himself. Feeling the rhythm in his chest energises him and helps him focus on his tasks and activities. The rhythm and pulse maintain his movements and body awareness. He has more opportunities to try different things and to be in contexts that were previously difficult for him, e.g. at the chiropodist.

The inmu also is an effective tool for arousal regulation. When you feel the vibrations and hear the music, you are able to connect with your body. This can reduce arousal. With the inmu in the vest, it offers the possibility for being shielded and carry it with you on the playground, in the classroom, at work, on a trip or in the car.

With the vest, an inmu can be worn on the front of the chest or on the back. It provides freedom of movement to jump, dance, run, roll around on the floor… This allows for the inmu to be used in even more activities – including shared activities.

The vest allows more people with motor challenges to be able to use an inmu. Even very motorically challenged people in wheelchairs can sit with an inmu on their chest. This allows people with spastic paralysis, for example, to activate an inmu themselves and get hours of joy and activity – by touching, tapping, cuddling or experiencing how the music changes as they move their upper body.

The steady pulse you can feel and hear with an inmuRHYTHM on your chest can be a great help when training walking. For example, during motor training in a walking bar or with a walking frame, the vibrations and rhythm can support and motivate. In this way, it can provide a comfortable and motivating form of self-training for people with Parkinson’s and other brain injuries.

The vest can be used with both inmuRHYTHM, inmuDANCE and inmuRELAX.

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Knud suffers from Alzheimers. He is using inmuRELAX and inmuDANCE to maintain his motor skills.

Even though it is difficult to remember things, his body and hands are still able to learn new movements. And his body can remember them (called muscle memory). Also long time after.

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Soothing sounds and relaxing vibrations are incorporated into the innovative inmu sound cushions, activating the senses of people with brain injuries.

The human body responds to music. What feels like a healing sound to some can be unbearable noise to others.  After suffering brain injuries or a stroke, music and sounds can put tremendous strain on patients. In such cases, even something as subtle as birdsong can become intolerable. These findings are the reason that in recent years, music therapy has become increasingly significant in the process of neurological rehabilitation of brain injuries.

Closeness and Communication Without Words

inmu, which is the abbreviation for ‘interactive music’, is a non-invasive tool to help making a patient’s everyday life easier. “inmuRELAX promotes tranquillity and joy. The music helps the resident to remain balanced, avoiding conflict as a result. This is a dignified method to help people and above all it is versatile in its application.” inmuRELAX can be used to lower or increase the sensory arousal level (activation level). The soft sounds, pleasant vibration and smooth fabric of the sound cushion have a relaxing and soothing effect on the body. By moving and touching the sound cushion, the user activates the musical soundscapes, which stimulate the senses.

When asked how inmu improves patients’ everyday lives, Hundstrup Nielsen explains: “We work with systematic risk assessment. This means that we respond on the basis of the signs that the residents exhibit. If a resident raises their voice, screams or tries to threaten someone, it is due to them experiencing discomfort. For example, we have one particular resident for whom our employees ensure to avoid sensory overstimulation. But in case of staff being unable to personally tend to the patient we resort to inmu. As soon as they hold inmu, we can observe a state of relaxation and tranquillity. The level of comfort and well-being, which are achieved through the meditational soundscapes, become visible and it also aids many residents in falling asleep.”

English translation of the feature article in the German magazine “NOT” 1/2019.
Read original article here

About the Magazine:
NOT is a special interest magazine for brain injury and stroke patients as well as their relatives, nursing staff, therapists, doctors, acute clinics, rehabilitation facilities, therapy and nursing homes.

www.not-online.de

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