Rankin Physiotherapy

FNMR Course 2019 – Calgary Alberta

November 28, 2019

Sitting L to R: Steve Hartley, Gianna Lau, Shanda Hunter-Trottier, Karen Turner, Ellison Abdalla, and Susan Rankin. Standing L to R: Pauline Dueck, Kristin Bell and Heather Brickwell.

On November 1, 2019, 8 therapists attended the foundation course for Facial Neuromuscular Retraining (FNMR). There were therapists from Calgary, Edmonton, and Red Deer, Alberta; Vancouver, BC: Burlington, Ontario and Houston, Texas.

On November 2 and 3 five therapists carried on to complete the practical component of the course. Pauline Dueck, Heather Brickwell and Kristin Bell, all experienced facial therapists working in Calgary, had arranged a good group of patients for us to assess, educate and treat. Kristin Bell assisted in this course by taking one of the groups on the week-end. She was a great addition to the course.

The 5 new fully trained facial therapists are (L to R bottom row):

Steve Hartley, BSc, P.T.
CAR (Community Accessible Rehabilitation) Program (North) – Neurological team, PLC Hospital
CAR Central Coordination
tel: 403-943-0279 fax: 403-943-0578
Calgary, Alberta

Gianna Lau, MHSc, RSLP, SLP(C) Speech Language Pathologist
Alberta Children’s Hospital
Neuroscience – Rehab and Education Program
email
tel: 403-955-5795
Calgary, Alberta

Shanda Hunter-Trottier, Speech Language Pathologist
S.L. Hunter SpeechWorks
tel: 905-637-5522 Ex 222
Burlington, Ontario

Karen Turner, P.T.
CAR (Community Accessible Rehabilitation) Program (Central) – Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre
CAR Central Coordination
tel: 403-943-0279
fax: 403-943-0578
Calgary, Alberta

Ellison Abdalla, MS, CCC-SLP Speech Language Pathologist
email
713-204-4774
Rehab Without Walls
Houston, Texas 77005

FNMR Program Madison Wisconsin 2019

June 20, 2019

Partipants (L to R): Sara Brost, Lynette Chan, Heather Robinson, Annie Myers, Jodi Janczewski, Dalia Panzer

Jodi Janczewski, PT, NCS

UW Health – Yahara Clinic

1050 East Broadway

Monona, WI 53716

Tel 608-890-6110

Sara Brost, SLP, MS -CCC

Marshfield Medical Center

100 W Oak Ave.

Marshfield, WI 54449

Tel: 715-221-8965

Annie Myers, PT

Dalia Panzer, OT

New York, New York, USA

Tel: 973-216-8317

Heather Robinson, SLP

4696 W Overland Rd. Ste 228

Boise, Idaho, 83705

Tel: 208-500-1728

Fax: 208-908-0501

Web: idahofacevoice.com

Lynnette Chan, SLP

em ail

Singapore

Tel: +65 98798798

Burlington/Hamilton FNMR Course

May 14, 2019

On May 3, 2019, 17 therapists attended the foundation course for Facial Neuromuscular Retraining (FNMR). There were therapists from the US, Brazil, New Brunswick and Ontario. Most had already seen facial patients prior to the course and were looking to gain more knowledge about their treatment.

On May 4 and 5, three therapists carried on to complete the practical component of the course. Beth Kroetsch, a long standing facial therapist in Hamilton, had arranged a good group of patients for us to assess, educate and treat.

The 3 new fully trained facial therapists are, from Left to Right:

Denis Savoie, PT

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire
email
tel: 506-862-4100
Dr. Georges L Dumont
330 Avenue Universite
Moncton, NB

Adiilah Heenaye Sumser, PT

email
tel: 416-519-9122
Bayview Physiotherapy
& Sports Medicine Clinic
586 Eglinton Ave. East, Suite 312
Toronto, Ontario

#2
email
Tel: 289-863-1009
Dome Physiotherapy and Wellness Clinic
1325 Eglinton Avenue East,
Suite 220
Mississauga, Ontario

#3
email
Tel: 289-863-1009
In Home Physiotherapy
Oakville and Milton areas

Anellina Ventre, SLP

Her contact information is:

email
Tel: 416-557-7237
Toronto/Mississauga

What is Synkinesis?

January 9, 2019

Syn = Abnormal
Kinesis = Movement

So how is this abnormal movement (synkinesis) created in facial palsy?

When the nerve is compressed in the acute phase of a facial palsy due to either inflammation, surgery, or tumours; it is possible that some of the axons or “wires” will be severed.

Our peripheral nerves have the capacity to regrow and do so at the rate of 1mm per day. In the process of regrowing, sometimes the nerves get crossed and end up going to a different muscle than they did originally (see diagram below). The left side of the face is normal and the right side depicts synkinesis.

A nerve that originally went to the eye, for example, is now going to the mouth. The brain still thinks it’s talking to the eye, but now the mouth is reacting. This is how movements become connected so that when a person with synkinesis blinks, their mouth might also move. Through hard work and the help of a trained facial therapist, it is possible to create a new pathway using the principles of neuroplasticity. For a great reference on neuroplasticity see Norman Doidge’s book The Brain that Changes Itself.

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