Webinars Introduction to the E-Pacer
A physical therapist demonstrates the Rifton E-Pacer, a device for lifting and gait training.
The Rifton E-Pacer is an exciting new addition to the Pacer family. Its sit-to-stand lift functionality removes a major barrier to gait training with large or highly dependent clients.
Stories The Magic of the Floating Frame March 19, 2018 by Amanda Blankley
A teenage boy using a gray Rifton Pacer gait trainer to walk.
Saad is a young man who just transitioned to our adult services from his school program in September 2017, and even though I try hard not to have favorites, Saad tests my resolve; he never fails to brighten my day. When Saad first arrived, he only had the wheelchair he came in. We put him in an old-style Rifton XL Pacer. Saad has cerebral palsy, involving a complex history with both his knees requiring...
Evidence Based Practice Don’t Be Afraid of Early Mobilization in Acute Brain Injury February 20, 2018 by Mary Beth Osborne, PT, DPT, NCS
A therapist helps a patient with brain injury in an early mobilization exercise in the ICU.
This article was originally written for Medbridge and is shared here with permission. People who suffer brain injuries require extensive medical care to preserve vital organ functions and prevent secondary injury. Physical therapists are in a unique position to positively influence the ultimate outcome for these individuals by simply providing early mobilization. Two studies provide support for early...
PT/OT Six Features To Love About the Support Station December 19, 2017 by Elena Noble, MPT
A therapists assists a young man in a sit to stand transfer for toileting at the Support Station.
When we’re talking about activities of daily living, it doesn’t get more basic—and more personal—than toileting. But the process of toileting is also a valuable opportunity to teach transfer, standing and hygiene skills—all essential to building independence in self-care. A successful and thoroughly dignified approach to incorporating these skills into the toileting routine is...
Evidence Based Practice Evidence Update: Adding Resistance to BWSTT November 27, 2017 by Elena Noble, MPT
A close up of the legs of a young girl with cerebral palsy as she practices bwstt in the dynamic Pacer gait trainer.
Although integrated into pediatric clinical practice for the last decade, body weight supported treadmill training (BWSTT) continues to be an area of research interest and an evolving intervention. We can see this reflected in a recent study examining effective motor learning strategies for treadmill training. For children with disabilities, the treadmill is a safe place where they can organize their...
Evidence Based Practice Evidence Update: Dynamic Gait Training for Child with SCI October 17, 2017 by Elena Noble, MPT
A child with sci in a blue dynamic gait trainer smiles at his caregiver as he walks through the school hallway.
Because good clinical evidence on the benefits of gait training is so scarce, we celebrate every contribution we find. Here’s one that specifically explores the effect of dynamic gait training on a child with a spinal cord injury. After sustaining a complete T10 spinal cord injury (SCI) at 23 months old, this child began a walking program six months later. She initially started with a posterior...
PT/OT Workers’ Compensation Providers and the Rifton TRAM October 03, 2017 by Elena Noble, MPT
A therapist smiles at a young man standing in the Rifton TRAM patient lift acquired with a workers compensation grant.
Lifting and repositioning patients is a big part of healthcare, particularly for nurses and therapists. But how we do this is changing, based on the many studies that show how lifting patients manually without assistive equipment is causing staff injuries, lost days from work and decrease in care quality. The safe patient handling and mobility (SPHM) approach advocates for patient lifts and mobility...
PT/OT Removing Limits, One Step at a Time September 14, 2017 by Kevin Mullin, CNR Managing Consultant
A close up of the legs of a young woman practicing gait in a grey Rifton dynamic Pacer after an spinal cord injury.
The Center for Neuro Recovery (CNR) in North Palm Beach, Florida, is not your traditional training and recovery center. It’s rated among the top training centers in the country with referrals from 54 national rehab hospitals and 17 international rehab hospitals, and it might be best described as a highly skilled comprehensive training facility for those willing to push the boundaries. CNR provides...
Tips & Advice Comparing Rifton’s Three Gait Training Devices August 09, 2017 by Elena Noble, MPT
A glamour shot of a red E-Pacer gait trainer from Rifton.
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...
Evidence Based Practice Improving Gait in Chronic TBI with Motor Learning Strategies July 25, 2017 by Elena Noble, MPT
tbi gait rehab
Long-term disability is a frequent sequel of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and takes the form of persisting motor impairments that impact walking and autonomous movement. So to improve environmental negotiation and basic care skills, independent gait is an essential therapy goal for TBI patients.    Literature shows that the best time for independent gait recovery occurs within the first few...
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