News

Once Again the MOVE Program Shines

November 12, 2018 by Lori Potts, PT
A girl in a pink dress smiles at her caregiver, while walking in her Rifton Pacer gait trainer.

You’ve heard us talk about MOVE for years, and there’s no question we’re unabashed boosters for this wonderful program. We first ran into Linda Bidabe, MOVE’s founder, in 1988 when her program was in its infancy and we’ve loved it ever since. If you’re not convinced, or if you just want to understand it better, set aside 20 minutes today, pour a cup of coffee, and watch...

Stories A MOVE® Program Snapshot October 15, 2018 by Sherri Glazer
A young boy stands at a Rifton Support Station with the aid of a caregiver.
Reuven is 16 and attends The Children’s Learning Center at the Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County where he participates in the MOVE® Program. Reuven is non-ambulatory and non-verbal. He sits primarily in an adapted wheelchair equipped with a seatbelt, chest harness, foot straps, and a lap tray. While in school, as part of the MOVE® Program, Reuven practices sitting in a typical...
PT/OT Using Thigh Straps in Sling Configuration for Toileting or Seat-to-Seat Transfers October 08, 2018 by Barbara Stacy, PT, MOMT
A client sitting in wheelchair, while a caregiver adjusts the straps of a Rifton TRAM to prepare for a transfer.
At Desert Mountain SELPA in Apple Valley, California, we’ve discovered a creative solution for seated transfers with the TRAM. This method works really well, particularly for the more profoundly involved kids. Using the standard approach shown in the TRAM Quick Reference Guide (with a thigh strap placed separately under each leg) often results in the body support system riding up the student’s...
PT/OT Homing in on Segmental Trunk Support for Better Control September 27, 2018 by Jocelyn Newell, PT, DPT, MPT
Sydney
While many in the therapy community have not heard (yet) about SATCo, it’s a valuable new assessment that looks at trunk control. SATCo stands for Segmental Assessment of Trunk Control and it is a specific method of determining the level at which an individual loses postural control. We speak of “segmental assessment” because during evaluation we progressively change the level of trunk support at seven distinct levels.
PT/OT Getting Help for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities September 10, 2018 by Denise Swensen, PT, DPT
A young girl looks is entertained by the ipad her therapist is holding as she walks on a treadmill using a Rifton Pacer.
According to the National Early Intervention Longitudinal Study, only 4% of infants and toddlers receiving early intervention services have assistive technology and AT services listed on their Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP.) ¹ No, that was not a typo. Only 4%. Think about what that means for the three-and-under children with disabilities you know. The Individuals with Disabilities Education...
PT/OT It’s Called an Activity Chair for a Reason August 27, 2018 by Lori Potts, PT
A young girl smiles at the camera in a portrait of her in the Rifton Activity Chair.
Recently, Rifton hosted a 2-part webinar on adaptive seating. Part 1: Sitting for Participation: What Does the Research Say? This 30-minute webinar provides an overview of available research on adaptive seating as an intervention in pediatric practice. I summarize research evidence on adaptive seating outcomes including impact on postural control, the use of upper extremities while seated, and head...
PT/OT Our Body, Gravity, and the New Discipline of Posture Care Management August 20, 2018 by Tamara Kittelson Aldred
A caregiver reading a picture book to a young boy sitting in a Rifton Activity Chair.
Twenty-four-hour posture care management is quite new in North America, but its roots go back to the 1980s with foundational work occurring even earlier. Children and adults with dysfunctions of muscle tone, reflexes, muscle weakness and joint contracture have impaired movement and develop adverse postures as a direct consequence of their positioning relative to gravity. These can result in complications...
Tips & Advice Facilitating Stepping in Inpatient Rehabilitation August 13, 2018 by Linda Rusiecki PT, DPT, CBIS
A physical therapist wraps a Theraband around the leg of a client in a Rifton E-Pacer to assist with unweighted gait training.
We have used Rifton products in our facility for the last two years with our adult neuro patients, primarily with stroke, brain injury, and brain tumor resection, though they have also been useful with patients with incomplete spinal cord injury and demyelinating diseases.
Stories A Dramatic Rehab Triumph with Rifton's TRAM July 16, 2018 by Cindy Tamayo, PT, MA
A patient walking successfully in a Rifton TRAM with the aid of a caregiver.
We have nothing but praise for the Rifton TRAM! As the rehab services manager for a children’s hospital in Honolulu, I am amazed at how this product enables us to deliver rehab services. Our goal is to provide the highest quality care to children with a variety of neuromusculoskeletal conditions and other healthcare needs. The TRAM proved itself to be an effective and safe method to mobilize one of...
News Seating and Wheeled Mobility July 03, 2018 by Tamara Kittelson Aldred
A caregiver and teenage client laughing together in a gym during a therapy session.
If you are involved with wheelchair evaluations and recommendations for your clients – whether experienced or new on the block – this comprehensive and readable book is for you. Michelle Lange and Jean Minkel are well-known clinicians in the seating and wheeled mobility world. They gathered respected contributors with wide-ranging expertise for this well-rounded, thoroughly referenced volume...
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