61-year-old Military Veteran & Stroke Survivor Before & After KAATSU

For who? stroke victims, Baby Boomers, retirees, veterans, soldiers
For what? functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery



Before: Mitch's Timed Up & Go on 15 December 2018



After: Mitch's Timed Up & Go on 15 January 2019



Before Mitch started a KAATSU Cycle program at home on 15 December 2018.



After Mitch did 15 KAATSU Cycle upper body sessions over a 4-week period at home on 15 January 2019.

Overview
Mitch is a 61-year-old Marine veteran in Colorado who had an ischemic stroke 9 years ago at his home and 3 subsequent heart attacks. He is designated as a Do Not Resuscitate patient. His right side is nearly paralyzed, he has a torn right rotator cuff, he uses a wheelchair, his voice is significantly limited, but he remains overwhelmingly positive and is friendly with his neighbors. He has been treated by medical professionals and VA staff for the past decade. He regularly does a variety of physical therapy exercises and wheels himself around the neighborhood using his left arm.

KAATSU Usage
Mitch has used KAATSU 3-4 times per week for last 4 weeks (beginning on December 15th 2018) in the comfort of his home, while using the KAASTU Cycle mode with the help of his 62-year-old wife and performing a variety of standard physical therapeutic movements.

Benefits (see videos above)
1. Mitch’s fingers on his right hand are much more relaxed and flexible with a much looser grip.
2. Mitch can move his right arm with significantly greater range of motion.
2. Mitch feels significantly less pain in his right hand and arm.
3. Mitch can now feel human touch throughout his right arm that he could not feel before.
4. Mitch can complete a Timed Up and Go test 9% faster (1 minute 32 seconds vs. 1 minute 43 seconds).

KAATSU Recommendations
1. Mitch should continue the same exercises he currently does with the KAATSU Air Bands on.
2. Mitch can increase his use of KAATSU to twice per day: do KAATSU Cycle sets in the morning hours and do KAATSU Cycle sets as part of his 9:30 pm evening KAATSU sessions (currently doing evening only).
3. Due to his improvement and increased strength and balance, Mitch can add KAATSU Constant to his evening sessions (i.e., detach the tubes and walk or do upper body movements in the KAATSU Constant mode for no more than 5-10 minutes while untethered).
4. Mitch can practice handwriting with his right hand while conducting KAATSU Cycle sets on his arms.
5. In order to develop greater strength and range of motion in his legs, Mitch can start 'Prone Upper Leg Contraction and Leg Lift Exercises' while conducting KAATSU Cycle sets on his legs while in the horizontal position.

KAATSU Advantages versus Traditional Physical Therapy
1. Ease & Convenience of Use
Mitch and his wife are non-medical professionals who quickly learned how to safely use KAATSU in the comfort of their home where Mitch can experience the benefits and convenience of KAATSU.

2. Safety
Despite having a stroke and 3 heart attacks and a torn rotator cuff, KAATSU is safely used by a 61-year-old veteran. This record is consistent with KAATSU’s usage in 32 countries around the world by over 20 million users.

3. Cost Savings
Assume the cost of a home visit by a VA professional is $100 (salary + benefits + travel expenses) per visit. If Mitch does KAATSU twice per day for 300 days per year, the cost of a KAATSU Wearable device amortized over 2 years (1,200 sessions) is $0.50 per KAATSU session (i.e., $600 ÷ 1200 = $0.50 / session). $100 vs. $0.50 per session presents unprecedented cost savings.

4. Physical Improvement
Video provides visual evidence of physical improvement after 15 uses of KAATSU.

5. Psychological Boost
With improved physical strength, range of motion and muscle tone, and a greater hormonal response, the mental outlook of a paralyzed individual will improve. Being able to sign checks, move both arms at will, walk to the bathroom without a wheelchair, and other activities likely lead to greater confidence, greater motivation, and a greater self-belief to continue further physical improvement.

Copyright © 2014 - 2019 by KAATSU Global

Romy Camargo Making A Difference With Stay In Step

For who? veterans, soldiers
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery

Courtesy of Romulo 'Romy' Camargo, Stay In Step Spinal Cord Injury Recovery Center, Florida.

Romy Camargo enlisted in the United States Army in 1995 and retired as a Chief Warrant Officer 3.

His life took a turn during combat in Afghanistan on September 16th 2008 when his detachment was viciously ambushed. During the ambush, Romy sustained a gunshot wound to the back of the neck. The gunshot wound paralyzed him from the neck down.

Medic Steve Hill was able to stabilize him while his Team ODA 7115 prepped the battlefield to be medically airlifted out of the area.*

After Romy arrived at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, he was operated on to stabilize his neck as his C3 vertebra had been shattered and was extracted. His breathing was tied to a respirator and he was paralyzed from the shoulders down. He transferred to the James A. Haley VA hospital in Tampa, Florida where he was an inpatient for 18 months.

Romy still lives in Tampa where he not only continues to rehabilitate with the latest equipment and protocols, including KAATSU to help restore his muscle tone and improve his vascular elasticity, but also serve as the Administrative Director at the Stay In Step Spinal Cord Injury Recovery Center.

The KAATSU Air Bands are placed on his arms while he uses the physical therapy equipment at Stay In Step. His skin color turns pink with solid red tones due to an engorgement of blood in his forearms and upper arm - and his muscle tone improves.

A hero for sure; Romy’s major awards and decorations include:
* Legion of Merit
* Bronze Star Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters
* Purple Heart
* Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster
* Army Commendation Medal
* Joint Service Achievement Medal
* Army Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters
* Afghanistan Campaign Medal
* Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab
* Combat Infantry Badge
* Master Parachutist Badge
* Special Operations Combat Divers Badge
* Special Operations Combat Divers Supervisors Badge



* Hill is the Lead Trainer at Stay In Step Spinal Cord Injury Recovery Center.

Copyright © 2014-2018 by KAATSU Global