Adaptive Mobility and Positioning Blog

ABOUT US The Langan School at Prospect Center is a remarkable school where children with varying levels of disabilities ages 3-21 can  receive their education. Nestled in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York, the school is a satellite of the Langan School in the state’s capital, Albany. Both schools are run by The Center for Disability Services, a major provider of all...

The Rifton TRAM is a versatile transfer and mobility device that can  safely support people of varying abilities and sizes. To do this effectively it’s important to position the body support low enough on the trunk, but for people with shorter trunks or larger thighs this may be made easier by reversing the arm support post mounts so they don’t dig into the thighs as the body support is...

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...

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...

Providing activity and mobility interventions for young adults with disabilities after they leave the school system is important, particularly for maintaining quality of life. Unfortunately this outlook is not shared by everyone. A physical therapist working with young adults with developmental disabilities wrote this to me after her efforts to get adaptive equipment for her clients had been...

The arm supports of the Rifton Pacer are central to good positioning and gait control. When placed correctly, they assist with weight-bearing, weight-shifting, head control, upper extremity stability and steering. We find, however, that some users don’t make use of the full range of adjustments that are available on the arm prompts,so here's a great resource to guide good positioning.

Questions about the Rifton TRAM? This new resource offers answers to the questions we’ve heard the most along with tips and guidelines to help you get the most out of your transfer and mobility device. Rifton TRAM FAQ

With spring in the air, it’s time to bring out those tricycles and hit the sidewalks. But first, some yearly maintenance may be in order. Use these quick and simple Rifton tricycle tune-up guidelines to get your adaptive bike into top condition for a summer of fun. Download Trike Tune-Up pdf View in Spanish

As most of you undoubtedly know, for children with disabilities exercise such as cycling with a special needs tricycle can be therapeutic as well as fun. Cycling may provide a variety of health benefits unavailable through other medical interventions. For example, children with severe mobility limitations may have few, if any, other options for strengthening their cardiovascular system. In fact, cycling...

One key function of the Rifton TRAM is gait training. As a client progresses and gait control improves the clinician eventually steps away to let the client guide the TRAM solo. But some people have difficulty controlling lateral movements, especially if all TRAM wheels are free to swivel. For these people, here are two TRAM tips that have made all the difference for many. Setting the TRAM to Track in a...