Anagennisi is the largest recovery and rehabilitation center in Greece for patients with mobility problems, or chronic pain.
About
At the beginning of the new millennium and at a time, when Greece had almost zero infrastructure in the field of Physical Medicine, an interdisciplinary team in Thessaloniki laid the foundation for the creation of the first and largest Recovery and Rehabilitation Center in Greece, Anagennisi. The work carried out was based on the following principles:
- The field of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is responsible for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of people with medical conditions that cause simple, or complex functional problems and comorbidity, across all ages.
- Rehabilitation is a fundamental right, as it gives every person who suffers the opportunity to regain one’s independence, autonomy, and well-being.
- Rehabilitation should aim to a new beginning – a new life – whatever the limitations of the current health problem are.
We provide:
- Personalized physical medicine and rehabilitation services
- Interdisciplinary support from a comprehensive and experienced team of physicians, therapists of various specialties and rehabilitation nurses
- Innovative rehabilitation technologies and treatment methods
- Ideal environment for work and personal development for every employee who belongs to our workforce.
Conditions we deal with:
- Orthopaedics in the postoperative phase
- Neurological disorders
- Injuries
- Musculoskeletal disorders
- Spinal conditions
- Neurosurgery in the postoperative phase
- Cardiovascular & Respiratory Diseases
- Neoplastic diseases
At Anagennisi, Physical and Rehabilitation Center of Thessaloniki we offer inpatient and outpatient services:
- Nursing Rehabilitation
- Physical Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Speech Therapy
- Hydrotherapy
- Psychological support
- Clinical Dietetics
- Intensive Care Unite
We invest in new and enhanced recovery technologies. These state-of-the-art machines enable our medical and therapeutic staff to provide our patients with advanced rehabilitation services.
The technologies we use:
- Ekso GT, Robotic exoskeleton gait system
- Locomat® Pro V.6, Innovative walking training
- Armeo®Spring, Upper Limb Rehabilitation Technology
- TECAR, Radiofrequency Therapy
- Snoezelen, Multisensory environment room
- Nirvana BTS, virtual reality-based training
The ANAGENNISI Recovery & Rehabilitation Center is accredited to ISO 9001: 2015, which is the most widespread international standard for a quality management system. ISO 9001 demonstrates ANAGENNISI’s ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements.
ANAGENNISI is also, the first rehabilitation and recovery center in Greece that was certified according to the requirements of the EN 15224: 2012 standard. This European Standard is focused on requirements for clinical processes. It aims to adjust and specify the quality management system standard for health care organizations and introduces Clinical Risk Assessment and Clinical Risk Management for the first time, as measurable concepts directly related to the effectiveness and efficiency of health services. It also specifies the concept of quality in health care, so that it can be measurable and controllable.
Services
Physical therapy
The targeted physiotherapy intervention at the ANAGENNISI center:
• Contributes to the prevention of new disorders, injuries, or functional limitations.
• Contributes to the restoration of not just physical, but also mental health.
• Contributes to the preoperative preparation and postoperative relief before and after a surgery.
• Helps the patient to retrain new brain centers to act.
• Motivates the patients and improves their quality of life.
Physical therapy techniques
Neurophysiological kinesiotherapy
The Bobath concept – Neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT)
It is usually applied to patients with acquired neurological diseases, such as Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Multiple Sclerosis, Spinal Cord Injuries and congenital disorders, e.g. cerebral palsy.
Kabat Method (PNF)
Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation does not apply to individual muscles but involves movement patterns. It stimulates the affected area by employing other healthy parts of the body, aiming to increase the range of movement and the flexibility.
Brunkow
The evolution of a chiropractic treatment that focuses on kinesiology. Includes resistance exercises for the upper and lower limbs. In certain conditions, such as strokes and scoliosis, these exercises retrain and help practice a sense of symmetry and even load distribution at both limbs.
Manual therapy – Hands-on Treatments
Mobilization with manipulation
It focuses not only on temporary relief but also, on finding and treating the trigger point that causes the symptoms. At ANAGENNISI it is used in lower back conditions (back pain, sciatica, disc disease and hernia etc.), neck conditions (cervical syndrome, headaches, stiffness, etc.), posture problems (kyphosis, lordosis, scoliosis) and joint pain (epicondylitis, lower extremity pain, etc.).
Mc Kenzie – Mechanical Diagnosis and Treatment
This technique has been used for more than thirty years around the world and it is a method of assessing and treating spinal and limb pain. In the MDT classification system, there are three sub-groups or mechanical syndromes (postural, derangement and dysfunction syndrome), to categorize the pain of each patient after a clinical examination. Thus, the appropriate personalised rehabilitation program is determined for each individual patient.
Respiratory physiotherapy
The goals of respiratory physiotherapy are the harmonious cooperation of the respiratory muscles, good lung ventilation, and postural drainage (use of gravity to drain mucus out of lungs by changing positions). It is indicated for acute and chronic diseases of the respiratory system, in postoperative conditions, disorders of the neural control of breathing, chest deformities and disorders of the respiratory function due to poor posture.
Lokomat® Pro V.6
Innovative walking training
At the ANAGENNISI center, Lokomat® Pro V.6 helps patients who use it to take steps forward. It is the world’s leading robotic gait training system and the most suitable for children today.
Lokomat® is the first robotic system developed and patented in the world in 2001. Since then, under continuous evaluation and clinical trials, its features and effectiveness keep improving. The version featured at the ANAGENNISI, the Lokomat® Pro V.6, belongs to the fourth and more advanced generation. Its main feature is the gait orthoses guide that can be adjusted to the patients’ abilities and can significantly improve mobility following spinal surgery, stroke, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis, amputations, and other neurological or heart diseases, and injuries.
During treatment, patients learn to walk again. Lokomat® Pro V.6 supports body posture effectively and facilitates repetitive movements. Legs move alternately and diagonally, pelvic tilt changes according to the step, the steps are synchronized, and the body oscillates vertically. Lokomat® can direct patients to this position intensively, repeatedly and for a long time, from 30 to 45 minutes. For some people, this is the only way they can walk in the beginning of the healing process. For others, it’s the challenge they need to get back on track.
Lokomat® Pro V.6 with gait orthosis designed to accommodate children (with femoral bones from 21 to 35 cm) helps treating gait problems in young patients. It is designed specifically for the needs of people with smaller dimensions and ensures excellent adjusting and comfort along with all the therapeutic benefits of the robotic approach to rehabilitation.
Ekso GT, Robotic exoskeleton gait system
The evolution in gait recovery
In February 2016, ANAGENNISI acquired the first exoskeletal gait system in Southeastern Europe, the Ekso GT ™.
It is a technology that enhances the potential of every patient, no matter how serious the walking problem is. It offers the hope of greater mobility and independence.
Designed for clinical use, it provides an incomparable rehabilitation experience to patients and therapists. It promotes cooperation, boosts self-confidence, speeds up recovery times.
Rehabilitation of patients after a stroke or spinal cord injury
The Ekso GT ™ is the first FDA-approved robotic exoskeleton system for the rehabilitation of patients after a stroke or spinal cord injury (T3 – C7, ASIA D). Its use has changed the course of gait neurorehabilitation by providing a means of practice and retraining that enhances not only the patient’s strength and abilities, but also the therapist’s ability to work more effectively with their patients.
How does Ekso GT ™ work?
It is a robotic exoskeleton, which allows people with lower extremity limitations to stand up and walk over ground on a natural gait pattern. It is easily worn over clothes and its operating system “generates” every step, allowing patients to stand on their own feet from the very first session.
Walking is achieved through the changes in the user’s gravity center, which are detected by the special sensors of the device and they, in turn, generate a sequence of steps, replacing the neuromuscular function. Therefore, the Ekso GT targets a wide range of patients with gait problems, from complete paralysis to minor disorders, even with minimal hand grip strength (low-level or high-level paraplegia and hemiplegia).
The benefits of treatment
With Ekso GT, patients can:
- achieve correct gait patterns maintaining the accuracy of the movement
perform more steps each time - gradually develop their skills
- benefit from all the advantages of mobilizing their limbs while standing up, and even walking
- learn to walk again
- regain confidence, courage and strength