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...
Stories Using the TRAM for Safe Transfers and Mobility in the School Setting March 13, 2018 by Terri Goebel, PT, Kellie Ray, ESE Teacher and Tara Wayland, OTR/L
A young boy uses the rifton tram for safe transfers to standing and ambulation over the carpet of the gym.
Our team of therapists and educators works together to provide opportunities for functional mobility to our students throughout the school day.The challenges we face include a variety of health diagnoses, behavioral management issues, and cognitive and physical deficits. These situations require team problem solving for safe and efficient physical management of the student while maximizing participation in...
PT/OT Intervening Early for Better Mobility in CP March 06, 2018 by Elena Noble, MPT
A young girl with cerebral palsy receives early intervention gait training services while walking in a pink Pacer.
I recently attended the annual American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting (APTA CSM) in New Orleans. Among the wealth of great programming, I chose a course looking at early intervention for children with cerebral palsy (CP), and I’d like to share a few points I took away. For therapy purposes, early intervention means providing services to a child before two years of age...
PT/OT Child-focused vs Context-focused Intervention February 13, 2018 by Carlo Vialu, PT, MBA
A young girl smiles as she sits in her activity chair in the cafeteria during her child-focused intervention curriculum.
In a fascinating research project, Law and colleagues set out to test the efficacy of context-focused intervention.¹ What is the context-focused approach? In this approach, the primary therapist (either an occupational or a physical therapist), works with the parents to identify tasks the child is interested in learning. The therapists assists to identify task and environmental modifications and...
PT/OT New Webinar on Standers January 22, 2018 by Lori Potts, PT
A young girl standing in a Rifton Mobile Stander looks at a goldfinch in a cage with her caregiver.
Last week, Rifton offered the first in a series of webinars. Standers: What does the research say? Watch the recording below to learn interesting research findings on tone, ROM, bone mineral density, and hip stability. Packed into 30 minutes, this webinar includes interesting research findings on muscle tone and range of motion, bone mineral density, and the issue of hip displacement for children with...
Tips & Advice A Step-by-Step Guide to Organizing Rifton Equipment January 02, 2018 by Linda Miller, PT, DPT, MOVE™ International Trainer and Amber Menshausen, MOTR/L, MOVE™ International Trainer
A glamour shot of a red Rifton activity chair on a white background.
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...
PT/OT Motor Learning Principles for Pediatric PTs December 05, 2017 by Lori Potts, PT
A young boy sits in his wheelchair as he practices reaching motor learning skills using a puppet that his therapist is giving to him.
I recently travelled to Cincinnati to attend the annual conference of the Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapists. It was an exceptional few days filled with camaraderie and excellent programming. My interest in motor learning drew me to a course called “Applying the Science of Motor Learning! Motor Learning Principles for Pediatric Therapists. ” It was presented by Carlo Vialu, former...
PT/OT The Sugar Rush Bakery November 14, 2017 by Deanne Inkell, DPT
A young woman uses adaptive equipment for standing skills as she works in the kitchen.
Action-packed days are the norm in the Meadowood Program,- a branch of the Red Clay School District that provides Special Education services.  Our goal is to use every opportunity to teach by embedding IEP skills into daily activities. Our student-focused approach supported by our team of therapists, classroom teachers and paraprofessionals follows the Mobility Opportunities Via Education (MOVE&trade...
News Linda Bidabe, 1945 - 2017 November 03, 2017 by Carmen Hinkey
Linda Bidabe smiles as she touches noses with a young boy with disabilities enrolled in the MOVE curriculum.
Heroes and social giants belong to other times and other places. We see the well- known images of Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Oscar Schindler, and we know where they lived, what they did, and why we remember them. We know who the famous people are. A lesser known woman, but one who is no less a hero is Linda Bidabe. Those who know her know that she developed movement science concepts ahead of...
PT/OT Using Adaptive Equipment to Foster Participation in Vocational Settings August 04, 2017 by Connie Johnson, PT, DScPT
A woman with disabilities stands in a red Pacer gait trainer to access her vocational work in a sheltered workshop.
Physical therapists have long advocated for the use of standers and gait trainers to support the mobility, accessibility and health needs of youth and adults with mobility impairments including education of families/school teams and use of equipment in activity programs. Use of gait trainers, standers and other mobility devices allow individuals mobility they would not be able to achieve due to...
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