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...
News Advocacy for Cerebral Palsy June 15, 2018 by Michele Shusterman
A teenage boy walks outside in a Rifton Pacer Gait Trainer while an aid assists him.
Recently, Rifton caught up with Michele Shusterman, mother of Maya and founder/president of CP NOW, a cerebral palsy nonprofit. CP NOW provides educational and support resources to the CP community and funds new research ideas. Although newly formed, CP NOW is gaining recognition and receiving accolades from families, professional organizations and CP centers throughout the US, particularly for their CP...
PT/OT Treadmill Base: A Solution for Gait Practice June 01, 2018 by Lori Potts, PT
A young girl walks on a treadmill with the aid of a Rifton Pacer, while a caregiver gives her instruction.
Body-weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) is widely recognized as a promising intervention to improve ambulation for individuals with neuromotor disability, with diagnoses including cerebral palsy¹, spinal cord...
PT/OT Writing SMART Goals for Adaptive Equipment May 28, 2018 by Margaret Rice, PT
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When using adaptive equipment it is important to have high standards for goal writing and data collection. Adaptive equipment spans a huge range from gait trainers to pencil grips. How many times have you seen adaptive equipment that was recommended for a student not being used properly or to its full potential? It is important to establish SMART goals for adaptive equipment the moment it is put into use...
Stories Great Strides with the Dynamic Rifton Pacer and Treadmill Base May 07, 2018 by Shirley Dzikowski, PT
A client uses the Rifton Pacer to walk on a treadmill.
I have had great success with the dynamic Rifton Pacer gait trainer matched with Rifton’s treadmill base. Because my clients are completely supported, including their hands and arms, they are safe to work over a moving treadmill base. Some of my clients even “run” on the treadmill at 2.0 and 2.5 mph as I have placed them up a bit higher and they learn how to move their feet quicker. This...
PT/OT Tips and Tricks for Getting More Out of Your Rifton TRAM April 23, 2018 by Christy Hupka, PT
A young client standing and walking with his physical therapist with the aid of a Rifton TRAM.
The Rifton TRAM provides a lot of flexibility within our school setting for standing, walking, and transfers.  Mostly it is used for safe transfers that would typically require a two-person lift.  However, in one of my schools it has provided a great solution for two students who needed more flexibility in their standing and walking routines at school. Here are two examples: Case 1:  This...
PT/OT New Webinar on Motor Learning April 17, 2018 by Lori Potts, PT
A young teenager standing in a Rifton Pacer Gait Trainer doing and activity with a caregiver.
On April 12, we hosted a webinar, Progressive Gait Training: Motor Learning Strategies and the Research, discussing motor skill acquisition through practice, feedback and prompt reduction. It concluded with a demonstration of the Rifton Pacer and tips for therapeutic and functional use of the Pacer emphasizing the benefits of dynamic support and the reduction of physical assistance to increase...
Stories March is Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month March 25, 2018
A client smiles and walks outside with a blue Rifton Pacer gait trainer.
Rifton products have been featured in several posts on Instagram that celebrate CP warriors, so we would like to share some of our favorites with you.   Noah had a great time at his friends birthday party. #cpwarrior #cpawareness #cpdad A post shared by Nickyd (@nic85jd) on Mar 26, 2018 at 11:08am PDT   Shout Out to ALL our fellow CP warriors 💪🏼💚#cpawareness #rifton #kmh...
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