Now Document Progress, Feedback, Results in Rehab...New from Biodex

Oct. 17, 2011 - PRLog -- The NEW Biodex Gait Trainer 3; an important rehabilitative tool to address mobility issues, balance deficits and assist ambulation, is now loaded with features to document progress and increase results. The Gait Trainer 3 is used to manage persons with movement disorders, neurological pathologies or those suffering from general de-conditioning, plus it can diagnose risk factors often not seen by the naked eye. “With our aging population, keeping people active, well into their golden years, can be accomplished with the right technology to diagnose problems and provide rehabilitative cues. The Gait Trainer 3 is designed to show and document need, progress and outcomes; vital components of therapy treatments,” explains Don Gronachan, Sales Director-Rehab, Biodex Medical Systems, Inc, Shirley, New York.

Unique to the Gait Trainer system is the ability for the treadmill to simulate for patients; walking down inclines. “Too often, physical therapists will use treadmills typically found in health clubs, there is an inherent problem with using those devices in the rehab setting,” states Gronachan. Without the ability to practice a patient’s gait going down hill, 50 percent of the rehab process is lost. “The world is not flat or made of just inclines. The Gait Trainer 3 allows the patient to practice walking down declines as steep as 15 percent. The rehab process has to mimic the real world and this product meets that need.”

The Gait Trainer 3 comes with new features including a bigger color LCD display with the ability to connect to larger external monitors—great for visually impaired patients. Powered by Windows CE operating system, the system offers enhanced software, graphics, audio and connectivity capabilities, also a USB port for easy software upgrades and data transfer.

The new Gait Trainer Progress Report details specific comparative gait parameters, perfect for documenting needed progress and outcome. Progress reports show: total time, average walking speed, total distance and steps, average step length, step length variability and time of each foot.  Through repetition, patients subconsciously relearn to walk along with biofeedback, patients stay “on target” in each phase of rehabilitation, steps lengthen, step speed increases and symmetry improves.

Rehabilitation clinics and facilities have described their need for a device that provides audio and visual feedback of step length, step speed and step symmetry. The wait is over, all of this and more is contained in the Gait Trainer 3 including the export of data and archiving; a versatile research tool that can work with standard PC programs. “The Biodex Gait Trainer 3 is an affordable way to measure the gait, achieving the same readings as force platform technology.” Biodex delivers results that are important to therapists, without the price tag.

There are 76 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964 who have now entered the world of aging. This generation will age in unprecedented numbers and will do so with vastly different preferences and lifestyle choices. As a result of this statistic many states and organizations have geared up to keep this segment of the population active to help them stay healthier. New technology along with physical therapy programs and well-trained professional long-term care therapists, are just some of the ways to ensure this will happen.

For more information, contact Biodex directly at: 1 800-224-6339 (Int’l 631-924-9000), Email: info@biodex.com, or www.biodex.com/balance

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Biodex Medical Systems Inc. offers high quality innovative products and services to the medical profession designed to solve clinical problems for customers and improve the lives of patients in the physical medicine, imaging and nuclear medicine markets