Arkansas Children's Hospital (ACH) rehabilitation team faced familiar obstacles - limited staffing and space reduced the number of patients that could be treated. Helping a young stroke victim relearn how to walk often required two or more physical or occupational therapists. The equipment needed for gait training differed from the equipment necessary for balance exercises, and most of the tools were bulky. The physical space required to store the equipment meant less space for beds or storage needs of other departments.
Vikki Stefans, M.D., and Laura Hobart-Porter, D.O., both pediatric physiatrists at ACH and a professor and associate professor, respectively, in the department of pediatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences participated in the search for solutions to the team’s challenges.
Dr. Hobart-Porter said the team considered various robotic tools. "Using technology and robotics gets our patients the most precise care possible. Our therapists can provide support while receiving and analyzing in-the-moment data."
The appeal of Healing Innovation's Rise & Walk neurorehabilitation machine was obvious - one machine with three modes would allow for treating more patients with diverse needs while requiring less space. "The fact that it was so modular was a big attraction," Dr. Hobart-Porter said.
With its dynamic body weight support system, Rise & Walk's gait mode facilitates high-intensity, high-repetition gait training with variable amounts of robotic assistance or resistance. Balance mode allows clinicians to do standing and balance activities. Seated mode is useful for reciprocal or alternating arm and leg movements to build coordination and endurance before walking. The neurorehabilitation machine could safely allow children to practice the repetitive therapeutic movements vital for neuroplasticity and motor learning.
The drawback to the Rise & Walk was equally obvious - it was built for an adult body. Patients under 5 feet tall or under 100 pounds couldn't use the machine.
The potential benefits to patients with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease or traumatic brain injuries inspired the team to investigate further. A team from Arkansas Children's traveled to Healing Innovations headquarters with questions and ideas.
The engineers at Healing Innovations answered the first question with a resounding "Yes!" They could develop an adaptive kit, allowing the adult-sized machine to accommodate a broader range of bodies. With the kit installed, the Rise & Walk could service patients 4-6 feet tall and weighing 50-285 pounds, making it a viable tool for a pediatric facility. Furthermore, the kit would be easy to install and remove, allowing quick transitions between patients of different sizes.
With the most critical question answered, the Arkansas Children's and Healing Innovations teams brainstormed ways to make the machine more appealing to children. The result is the world's first Rise & Walk neurorehabilitation rocket ship. Arkansas Children's drive to continually improve, innovate and provide right-sized care resulted in a new tool that pediatric facilities worldwide can benefit from.