| Author | Post |
|---|
shanna
Administrator
| Joined: | Fri Jun 2nd, 2006 |
| Location: | Tempe, Arizona USA |
| Posts: | 109 |
| Status: |
Online
|
| Mana: |  |
|
Posted: Tue Mar 9th, 2010 04:49 pm |
|
| Lesley: this comparison was written by another LiteGait trainer. Attachment: A Personal Comparison of Lite Gait Body Weight Support Sys….pdf (Downloaded 12 times)
|
nkarman
Instructor
| Joined: | Sat Jul 15th, 2006 |
| Location: | New York USA |
| Posts: | 61 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: |   |
|
Posted: Sun Mar 7th, 2010 04:29 am |
|
| I had the opportunity to do several trainings his week in facilities that had other devices. While the harness for "that other device" LOOKS more comfortable, it is designed to go around the trunk from waist to mid/upper thorax. I had someone put it on, and then changed it out for the LG harness. His respose: he other looks like it will be better, but the LG harness feels so much better. The other one resticts my breathing, and does not control my pelvis at all. It made me realize how important it is to actually try the harness for any device you are considering. Looks can be so deceiving. Just because a design feature looks like a good idea does not mean it will pan out in the long run: peple love the idea that "that other unit" allows motion in the transverse plane, but do not realize that you lose all control in that plane as a result of the design of the suspension system. That is why you see videos of treatment at conferences with four therapists helping the patient... They need to compensate for a complete lack of control. They also do not ealize that he LG harness is designed to allow for trunk rotation because it leaves the thoracic spine clear, while those other harnesses which go from waist (above iliac crest) to below axilla are designed to block rotation of the trunk. So what looks like a good design is actually not borne out in actual use. One audience member this week is a researcher who had nearly decided on the Biodex before the presentation. I think she changed her mind. The portability of the LG is just an added bonus: can be broken down easily to load into car or van for trnsport, but even more, can get through doorways with adequate clearance just by lowering actuator for a couple of steps.
|
nkarman
Instructor
| Joined: | Sat Jul 15th, 2006 |
| Location: | New York USA |
| Posts: | 61 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Sun Feb 22nd, 2009 12:18 pm |
|
I have used the LiteGait since it came out. It is my device of choice, and have ordered several for different facilities. Each time I make a purchase, I look at whatever is out there, and keep coming back to LG. The suspension and postural control are just superior.
If you are working in ortho, particularly, I would say that the independent control of un-weighting on each side of the body is a feature you would need: the single suspension point (trapeze bar suspended at the center) on Biodex will not allow selective un-weighting of a single LE. So for post-surgical patients (e.g. TKA or THA, or even meniscal or ACL surgeries), you would not be able to off-load the surgical limb (esp if there are WB restrictions) on the Biodex.
If you do any high-level (return to sport) training, then I would say the LG postural control provided is essential: when I was working in polytrauma, and had to get a patient running again, the Biodex just couldn’t get the job done: when the patient pushed off with enough force to achieve float phase, the biodex suspension bar (attached at a single point overhead) would just spin on its suspension axis- and the patient would spin around in the air (remember, no feet on the ground to stabilize during float). The same patient, first day in the LG (after weeks in the biodex, the LG was purchased and delivered while I was working with her) was able to achieve true float with several minutes of continues running on the first day. I attribute that to the superior control provided by the LG suspension yoke (2 points of suspension, vs. 1).
If you work with patients with postural difficulty walking (excessive forward or backward lean, people you want to wean off a walker), the biodex suspension (single strap routed through a carabiner clip over each shoulder) will not allow you to correct their posture in the saggital plane: the straps simply slide through the carabiner clip as the individual walks. The separate anterior and posterior straps that clip into auto-seatbelt attachment points above the shoulders in the LG allow for postural control in the saggital plane.
Finally, because the device is symmetrical (laterally), I found the LG to move more easily overground (steers and turns more easily) than the Biodex, whose suspension frame is on a diagonal from right to left: this offsets your force as you push the device overground, making steering very difficult, so if you plan to use the device overground, then LG is the way to go.
For precise unweighting, the LG will give more consistent magnitude of unweighting from session to session (the Biodex has too much vertical displacement, which you can’t control for)- with the flexyoke all the way closed, the LG will completely restrict vertical displacement (for patients with poor control), and gradually allow more as you open it up.
So… although the LG may be pricier, patient applications are greater, so you will likely use it more- the per-patient cost will likely be less. (Applicable to ortho AND neuro patients- all arguments above would work for neuro patients as well as ortho patients)
|
Lesley Smith
Instructor
| Joined: | Wed Aug 29th, 2007 |
| Location: | Humarock, MA |
| Posts: | 50 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Sun Feb 22nd, 2009 02:06 am |
|
I only have experience with LG but frequently get asked about other systems, such as Biodex, Pneu-Weight and VIgor. Does anyone have expereince, both good and bad, with other systems?
Thanks,
Lesley
|
Current time is 04:43 am | |
|
|
|