Neuro-Integrative Functional Rehabilitation And Habilitation (NEURO-IFRAH®) is an approach originated by Waleed Al-Oboudi, MOT, OTR/L. The unique name of the approach was originated by the author to give an overall idea to the reader regarding the scope of this approach. The word Neuro- was selected because this approach is intended for patients who are affected by lesions at the level of the brain stem and above. The word Integrative was selected to describe that this approach is integrative on all levels. It is integrative of all systems of the person as well as all information past and present. It is integrative of all internal as well as external variables and combinations and products of these variables affecting patient response, normal or otherwise. It is integrative and inclusive of fields of study as well as bodies of information. It is integrative in terms of variables related to therapists, the rehabilitation team, rehabilitation programs, facilities, home, community, and other environmental variables...It is integrative at all these levels and much more. Any variable that has an affect on the patient needs to be considered. The word Functional means meets intended purpose or need, thus the word functional was selected because this approach is functional. All aspects of rehabilitation and habilitation are individualized to meet the patients intended purpose or need. The words Rehabilitation and Habilitation were selected because this is what we do in therapy. It encompasses many aspects of therapy, thus there is no reason to find other words. One aspect of rehabilitation is to restore to the fullest physical, mental, social, vocational, economic status thus rehabilitation is not limited. However, our patients are not only re-acquiring skills they are learning new ones as well. Thus Habilitation occurs throughout alongside with rehabilitation. The powerful words used in the name of the approach gives a small glimpse of the wide scope of this truly dynamic, highly individualized, whole person, functional, inclusive, and visionary approach.
The philosophy and vision of a therapist is vital when it comes to healthcare and its ability to both serve and elevate humanity. Feedback from thousands of course participants collected over the past 12 years indicates that Waleed Al-Oboudi’s Neuro-IFRAH® courses exist in a class of their own. From the volume of information provided to the content itself (theoretical aspects to practical labs), the depth, vision and effectiveness of Mr. Al-Oboudi’s courses and approach are incomparable.
It is important to remember that ideas and approaches are intended to serve therapists, who in turn serve patients. With this in mind, make the information work for you. The standard for evaluating the effectiveness of any approach should always be the results you get on patients. There is a lot of theory that has not been backed by effective practical application—thus, theory can amount to only words that yield unimpressive results and are unconvincing in their application. While you can’t judge a book by it’s cover, you can effectively judge an approach by the results and depth demonstrated in the patient case studies. It’s also important to keep in mind that “effectiveness” should never be regarded as an all-or-nothing phenomenon; there will always be varying degrees of positive results. In our opinion, approaches that are not inclusive limit therapists and lead to destructive tendencies in healthcare, including self-serving competition and conflicts between team members and disciplines. Whatever helps the patient progress and elevates the status of healthcare is welcomed.
The Neuro-IFRAH® Organization has one of the largest and most extensive libraries of video documentation that has chronicled patient treatment programs and progress spanning years. This collection has been most impressive to therapists nationally and internationally. The unique approach of using video instead of hand-written reporting to document research, is a unique component that will be made available to the public in the future. Surveys published by independent parties on therapists who completed Neuro-IFRAH® courses are available online. Over the years the Neuro-IFRAH Organization® conducted extensive discussions with scientists regarding research. It is evident that current research models have proven to be narrow in scope and not appropriate for studying rehabilitation or highly skilled approaches that are wide in scope. For example, most if not all the scales used in research are very limited to the point where if the patient scores 100% on those scales they still look impaired or to say the least far from the norm. This narrow condition of observation which is usually highly exaggerated in advertising the results of the study is highly misleading to patients and therapists who are interested in rehabilitation outcomes that restore patients closest to movement in the norm. Sackett the father of evidence based medicine stated in Sackett et al, “External clinical evidence can inform but we can never replace individual clinical expertise and its this expertise that decides either the external evidence applies to the individual patient at all and, if so, how should it be integrated into a clinical decision.” (Sackett et al 1996, p.72) In addition as stated in Sackett et al “Good doctors use both individual clinical expertise and the best available external evidence, and neither alone is enough. Without clinical expertise, practice risks becoming tyrannized by evidence, for even excellent external evidence may be inapplicable to or inappropriate for an individual patient.” (Sackett et all, 1996 p 72). Mr Al-Oboudi states in one of his many training workbooks “The shadow of a crooked stick may look straight in narrow conditions of observation.” Furthermore he states that “in most cases the researcher is reporting on a narrow condition of observation and not on the larger scope of rehabilitation that makes a quantitative difference on the patient’s lives.” The readers are encouraged to increase their knowledge of the subject for example read the article from the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice from the International Journal of Public Health Policy and Health Services Research titled “The Evidence-Based Medicine Model of Clinical Practice: Scientific Teaching or Belief Based Preaching.”: Efforts are underway to engage in meaningful research that serves the patient and the public by providing objective measures that are wide in scope, in line with principals of rehabilitation, and are important to patient’s lives and goals. Meanwhile the Neuro-IFRAH Organization® continues to use video documentation to demonstrate self evident effective therapy. Patients, doctors, and healthcare professionals are encouraged to ask anyone who claims to be an expert to participate in live open forums to demonstrate their skills in treating patients where the results are seen on patients and not on paper. The extensive use of unedited video documentation is critical in giving a more accurate picture that may help the patients, the public, and healthcare professionals decide the direction that they want to take in rehabilitation. It is odd that video documentation is used extensively in the last few decades in most aspects of reporting and in many areas of life, however, it is seen rarely in the field of rehabilitation and almost none in an extensive format. This alone is alarming and for this reason the Neuro-IFRAH Organization® sets itself apart by using video documentation extensively to show before and after treatment as well as the process of rehabilitation on a large number of patients over the years. The Neuro-IFRAH Organization® extends an open invitation to researchers and educators who are invested in current models of research and claims regarding effective therapy to join us in open live forums for patient demonstration that are open to the public and permission is granted to share the results on Youtube. We will welcome any educators and researchers that are interested in participating in such a forum where the public has an opportunity to compare levels of skill and effective rehabilitation. The Neuro-IFRAH Organization® is committed to excellence and would be glad to pay for the costs related to sponsoring such an event. Patients, students, and therapists who are exposed only to claims made on paper following current narrow models of research are encouraged to increase their scope on what is evidence based according to the definition of the father of evidence based medicine Sackett shared above.
Sackett DL, Rosenberg WM, Gray JA, Haynes RB, Richardson WS. Evidence based medicine: what it is and what it isn’t. Bmj. Jan 13 1996;312(7023):71-72.
Waleed Al-Oboudi taught most of the advanced courses and more three-week courses than any other instructor from 1993 to 2003. During this time, his unique labs, handling skills and concepts helped him gain a large following. Therapists who were previous students of Mr. Al-Oboudi and who have since taken a Neuro-IFRAH® course have provided feedback indicating that they highly recommend the Neuro-IFRAH® Certification course as a baseline for his advanced and ultra-advanced courses. It is important to note that the Neuro-IFRAH® courses integrate Mr. Al-Oboudi’s highly effective strategies and concepts, as well as the depth and application recommended by him. The wide range of information that is covered in Neuro-IFRAH® courses cannot be learned anywhere else.
For all Neuro-IFRAH Specialist® programs, participants must have completed an advanced course and ultra-advanced course specific to the topic of specialization. The remaining weeks of training are spent in hands on patient treatment and management under the mentorship of Waleed Al-Oboudi. The clinical portion of the specialist program is scheduled in one to two week increments.
KineMedic Concepts is the the primary business specializing in the fabrication of all custom and pre-fabricated Neuro-IFRAH® Orthotics and Therapy Equipment.
KineMedic Concepts
Contact Person: Tom Krzeminski
P.O. box 3220 Blue Jay, CA 92317
Ph 909-337-3449
Fax 909-498-0300
www.kinemedic.com
For other businesses that are licensed to fit custom elbow-wrist-hand orthosis (EWHO), wrist-hand orthosis (WHO) and the Perfect Response Orthotic (PRO), please contact Kinemedic concepts at www.kinemedic.com.
Neuro-IFRAH Instructor means that this individual has been trained and licensed to teach introductory, intermediate or BASIC Neuro-IFRAH Certification courses (Non Clinical). Neuro-IFRAH INSTRUCTOR® does not indicate any clinical competency and is not endorsed by the Neuro-IFRAH® organization as a representative of the whole approach beyond the narrow scope of licensing to teach specific basic courses as indicated above.
Neuro-IFRAH Clinical Instructor™ means that the individual licensed and trained in specific basic protocols used in Neuro-IFRAH® Clinics and denotes clinical competency in application of Neuro-IFRAH® strategies. In addition the individual is licensed to teach the basic NEURO-IFRAH CERTIFIED Clinical™ course and clinical protocols.