The Mollii Suit is a specially designed trouser and jacket set. Built in to the suit’s lining are over 50 electrodes, which stimulate nerves all over the body using a mild (lower frequency) form of electrical stimulation. The electrodes electrically stimulate the nervous system to improve co-contraction and sensory perception.
Child Mollii Suit
The Mollii Suit was built with people with movement disorders (like Parkinson’s disease, muscular dystrophies, Cerebral palsy, Stroke, etc.) or symptoms like spasticity, loss of reflexes, difficulty standing, drop foot, or poor posture in mind. The suit has also been shown to work on patients with pain.
So far we have successfully assessed people with cerebral palsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis and transverse myelitis for the Mollii Suit at the Birkdale Centre.
The Mollii Suit stimulates the nerve using sub-threshold electrical stimulation.
What is sub-threshold stimulation?
- Nerve cells (neurons) pass electrical signals on an all-or-nothing basis. (i.e. they send the signal or they do not).
- Whether or not the nerve sends an electrical signal depends on if enough positive electrical charge builds up in the neuron – if the neuron reaches a threshold potential (threshold level of charge).
- If the threshold potential is reached the nerve cell will send its signal.
- Injecting the nerves with sub-threshold current means that the baseline level of positive charge in the neuron (the resting membrane potential) increases (so the neuron is more likely to send its signal).
- People with neurological conditions’ nerve cells send weaker electrical signals.
- The sub-threshold electrical stimulation makes it much easier for nerve cells to fire. The sub-threshold electrical stimulation pre-activates motor neurons.
Pre-activation of motor neurons can help with various motor activities:
- Gait
- Coordination
- Balance
- Functional recovery (after stroke/TBI)
At the Birkdale Neuro-Rehabilitation we emphasize the importance of active movements in our physiotherapy treatment plans. Sub-threshold electrical stimulation allows the patient to make movements actively whilst also enhancing a person’s sensory feedback necessary, this enables better motor control. Sub-threshold electrical stimulation can also help to accelerate nerve regeneration.
At a Mollii assessment, you will be individually assessed and fitted with a trial suit, programmed to fit the individual’s needs. After wearing it for 60 minutes during the assessment we assess the initial effects on you and discuss how we might integrate the use of the suit into your on-going rehabilitation plan. The Suit is available for purchase at the Birkdale Centre and we are directly supported by the supplier.
Normally, only one assessment is needed to show how the Mollii Suit can help a person to overcome various movement problems. We recommend that the suit is used alongside on-going neurophysiotherapy and we can also show you how to use the suit at home.
Please Contact Us if you would like to have a Mollii Suit assessment at the Birkdale Neuro Rehabilitation Centre.
See www.remotion.co.uk for further information about the Mollii Suit.
Adult Mollii Suit