Tips & Advice

Providing therapy services for your child at home has a unique set of challenges. Here are some tips and ideas for crafting a successful home gait training session.

The Pacer gait trainer is a walking device used across pediatric settings and adult rehabilitation settings to support individuals with disabilities in upright postures and ambulatory activities. With the appropriate supports in the gait trainer, independent mobility becomes a possibility. Each Pacer accessory (or prompt) adjusts to accommodate any positioning need or is otherwise easily removed to...

See also: Part 2: Prompt Reduction Strategies. Using the Rifton Pacer’s full range of adjustment possibilities will help you meet goals for mobility and activity. Individuals who cannot bear weight fully through their lower extremities, or need prompting for alignment need appropriately positioned prompts and supports. Motor skills acquisition and strength building are best achieved when an...

Since gait training is a focal rehabilitation activity, we’ve done our best to design gait trainers that meet all needs. In addition to our pediatric line of gait trainers we have three devices that can be used by heavier, larger clients: the TRAM, the XL Pacer and the E-Pacer. While the TRAM is good for tight spaces or if you need a device that can double as a toileting or transfer aid, for full...

While redesigning the Pacer we took the opportunity not only to improve the existing functions, but to add an odometer to encourage data collection and record progress. For gait training, there’s nothing else like our caster.

Rifton’s new Pacer gait trainer has three options for weight-bearing assistance and positioning of the hip girdle:   1. the multi-positioning saddle   2. the hip positioner,  and   3. the pelvic support Here’s a brief description of each with our recommendations to help you choose the right one for your clients. Multi-Positioning Saddle The multi...

The Rifton Pacer’s Multi-Positioning Saddle (MPS), in addition to providing weight-bearing support and excellent positioning for the pelvis, greatly simplifies transfer into the gait trainer. Here are the steps for a streamlined and safe transfer from a wheelchair into the Pacer. It is best performed with two caregivers. Preparing the Gait Trainer for a Transfer Lock the caster brakes. Undo...

Many of our customers love the versatility of the new Rifton Pacer, but not everyone knows the simple and quick trick to reverse the Multi Positioning Saddle (MPS) allowing an individual to benefit from the pelvic positioning and weight bearing assist while using the Pacer gait trainer as a posterior walker. Here are the simple steps to make this happen: .embed-container { position: relative...

A creative concept that came to us from the field is to use the Pacer Chest Prompt as a guide for hip positioning often referred to as a hip corral. This is achieved by flipping the chest prompt upside-down, so that the longer portion of the prompt faces downward. Having the chest prompt low around the hips can be an effective way to provide positioning for the student who has good trunk control but...

Since our newest item, the Rifton TRAM, has a walking component with similar prompts to the Pacer such as arm prompts, chest support, and walking saddle, therapists often wonder which to choose if they’re primarily interested in ambulation or gait training. Because the TRAM does a lot more than gait training – it’s a three-in-one device that combines sit-to-sit transfer, sit-to-stand...