History of the method
In the process of its rise and development the Kozyavkin Method - Intensive Neurophysiological Rehabilitation system went through several evolutionary stages, constantly improving and adjusting.
The basis of the rehabilitation system – the method of the biomechanical correction of the spine was worked out already in the late 1980’s. The author of the method, Prof Kozyavkin, while treating the patients with diseases of the nervous system and spine, had utilized the methods of manual therapy. With long-term experience he discovered that the use of certain spine mobilization techniques resulted in normalization of muscle tone.
This practical experience encouraged the successful use of the spine mobilization techniques for the reduction of the muscle spasticity in children with Cerebral Palsy.
However, the anatomical and physiological peculiarities of the child’s spine required an adaptation of the classical methods of the manual therapy. Therefore, V Kozyavkin developed the original technique of the polysegmental biomechanical correction of the spine specific to the child organism.
For the first time a report about new method of rehabilitation was delivered on the All-Union research conference in child neurology and psychiatry in Vilnius in 1989.
The new rehabilitation system awakened interest among doctors and researches of the Soviet Union. In the same year, a commission of experts headed by the leading Soviet neurologist, Prof K. Semenova confirmed the effectiveness of the new rehabilitation system.
In 1990 to enable wider implementation of the new rehabilitation system in Lviv (Ukraine), a new contemporary Rehabilitation Center was founded. This center began treating patients from Ukraine and Russia; however, as information about the new rehabilitation system spread to Europe, the first group of patients from Germany arrived in Ukraine for treatment in 1991.
Positive treatment results have since led to an increase in the number of patients. Since 1993, a group of patients arrives for the treatment in Ukraine routinely, twice a month, by a special flight from Frankfurt (Germany). In 1993 by the resolution of Ukrainian government, this method has been officially recognized and recommended for the wide application in the medical practice.
In order to broaden the range of the research work and further refine the rehabilitation approach, a new Institute for Medical Rehabilitation was established. The main direction of its work was the further research in the medical rehabilitation of patients with the diseases of the nervous system and spine. This Institute was established in 1996.
Employees of the Institute collaborate with Lviv Medical University, Ukrainian Research Institute of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kiev Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, German Academy for Rehabilitation and Development, Munich Child Center, and many other scientific and practical institutions.
Good results and high efficiency of the new rehabilitation technology assist in its recognition not only in Ukraine but also far abroad. Well-known German professor Frits Niethard in his encyclopedic edition of child orthopedics (1997) includes the Kozyavkin Method in the four most effective approaches to rehabilitation of Cerebral Palsy.
For major achievements in rehabilitation research, a group of physicians headed by Prof Kozyavkin received the State Prize of Ukraine in the Field of Science and Technology in 1999.
To spread the advanced experience in the field of rehabilitation our Institute in close cooperation with the department of physical therapy and rehabilitation of Kiev Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education has established educational postgraduate courses.
Since 1999, over 750 physicians of different specialties have become acquainted with the basics of the Intensive Neurophysiological Rehabilitation system during the advanced training courses.
In order to provide high-level accommodations for an increasing number of patients, and permit continued improvements and expansion in the rehabilitation system, a new contemporary International Clinic of Rehabilitation was put into service in summer 2003 in the ecologically clean area, in the health resort Truskavets.
In 2013 for better convenience of our international patients we decided to create an affiliate clinic on Cyprus - International clinic of medical rehabilitation
In addition to standard options of our rehabilitation program, treatment on Cyprus is supplemented by hydrokinesotherapy. These procedures and favourable climate conditions of Mediterranean Sea are important elements of Intensive Neurophysiological Rehabilitation system.
To learn more about rehabilitation on Cyprus, please visit icmr.eu
