Equipment- Miami Physical Therapy Associates

Locomot Body Weight Support System
This rehabilitation device is used for individuals with varying diagnoses which require body weight support for ambulation. Individuals with decreased lower extremity strength, balance deficits, require support when walking, or who require partial weight bearing on their lower extremities can ambulate with this device on a treadmill.

The patient is placed into a harness which is then connected to an overhead support system. Varying percentages of body weight can be supported depending on the patient’s needs.

Functional Electrical Stimulation Bike
Miami Physical Therapy Associates is proud to own two functional electrical stimulation (FES) bicycles. This rehabilitation device is for individuals with spinal cord injury and other neuromuscular illnesses, with partial or no sensation. With this technology, people who ordinarily have little or no voluntary leg movement are able to actively pedal a stationary bicycle with the power of their own muscles.

Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) uses computer controlled safe electrical currents passing through electrodes on the skin to initiate muscle contractions in the paralyzed or partially paralyzed lower extremities.

The user is seated on the specialized stationary bicycle with their feet secured to pedals. Computer-controlled low-level pulses of electricity are then sent via non-invasive surface electrodes, causing their leg muscles to contract in a coordinated pattern. This results in a smooth and natural cycling motion powered by the patient’s own leg muscles.

The computerized FES cycling program provides significant benefits, including:

Published clinical indications have also shown an increase in cardiopulmonary function, an increase in muscle mass and tone, reduced frequency of pressure sores, improvements of bowel and bladder function, and a decrease in urinary tract infections and other secondary medical complications.

Standing Frame and Glider
Upright posture, made possible by a standing frame, prevents formation of contractures and promotes range of motion, particularly in the plantarflexors, knee, and hip, which are very common among the spinal cord injury population secondary to prolonged sitting in a wheelchair.

Standing programs have many additional benefits. Weight bearing and standing activities have been documented as being beneficial in preventing osteoporosis and related complications such as fracture and ankylosis, or bone fixation, which are also common in the spinal cord injury population. Standing has also been shown to improve digestion, bowel, and bladder function, which is gravity assisted and attributed to elongation of the trunk. Upright positioning directly affects endurance and cardiovascular activity by improving respiration and ventilation. Spasticity has also been shown to decrease after the initiation of a standing program.

Standing programs have been reported to improve self esteem, self image, and feelings of well-being in people with SCI.

The lower extremity motion provided by the arm handles of a glider such as ours provides additional benefit as it encourages lower extremity passive movement, while promoting trunk rotation and thoracic extension. This improves strength in the trunk and upper and extremities, which develops better postural control and encourages self care and mobility activities.