THERA-Trainer – Standing & Balance Frame
Standing and walking are top priority for most individuals with neurological conditions. Safe standing and good balance are basic requirements for walking. The balance frame provides the patient with a safe environment in which standing and balancing exercises can be practised. These exercises benefit patients with risk of falling, such as some patients with MS or Parkinson’s disease, as well as wheelchair users. We can transform THERA-Trainer from a static standing frame (0 degrees) to a dynamic balance exerciser (6 and 11 degrees).
Dynamic vertical exercises are fun for almost every patient through which some will gradually learn safe standing and balance. Using the balance frame will enable the patients to stimulate their motor, sensory and cognitive skills.
Balance frame benefits the following conditions:
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Stroke / Hemiplegia
- Paraplegia / Tetraplegia
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Brain Injury
- Cerebral Palsy
- Other neurological conditions
THERA-trainer can be combined with a computer where the movements of the patient are translated into images and hence provide great feedback for the patient as how they are moving. Where eyes move body follows i.e. a person who has suffered a stroke generally neglects one side. Therefore they tend not to look at their affected side which also affects their balance and weight bearing. As mentioned before, a patient with the stroke looks towards their unaffected side and also bears their weight on the same side. This patient, therefore is rendered immobile as it is not easy to move with weight on the non-affected side. This patient on the dynamic mode of the balance trainer following eye movement exercises on the computer will pay attention to affected side which will improve the balance and weight bearing as well as bringing awareness to that side.
These are some of the ways our patients have benefited from the Thera balance trainer:
- Improved posture control and weight shifting
- Help the patient feeling safe and moving towards affected side
- Better understanding of position of the body in space
- Improved mobility / muscle tone regulation
- Positive effect on circulation, respiration and digestion
- Osteoporosis and contracture prophylaxis
- Perception training