Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
Individuals have found new hope when it comes to ambulating and performing assisted daily living tasks independently. A new progressive technology is on the market called the Alter G Bionic Leg which is a battery-powered, wearable robotic training device activated by a patient’s initiated movement. It is a modality used by physical therapists for patients with impaired walking and functional mobility. The Alter G Bionic Leg strengthens muscles, improves gait, and facilitates active motor learning while promoting improved ambulation and transfer skills. Currently, it is a crucial component for stroke rehabilitation and physical therapy for patients with chronic, degenerative neurological gait impairments including Parkinson’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
Nurse On Call a Medicare Certified Home Health Agency is the first and only home care company to launch the bionic leg. It will be used by physical therapy staff to improve participation in sit-to-stand activities, walking and stair climbing exercises that are critical to the recovery of gait and balance. When a patient begins to stand up, step forward or ascend a step, the bionic leg’s footpad sensors calculate the shifting weight and the position of the lower leg, and then calculate how much assistive force is needed for knee movement to move the foot and leg in a coordinated pattern, one normal to transfers, gait and stair stepping.
“Alter G Bionic technology can be life changing for someone. We’ve seen stroke and post-polio patients, people who haven’t been able to walk in years who had lost all hope, walk again.” exclaimed Colleen Ferren, OT, and Regional Therapy Director for Nurse On Call. “We are excited to be bringing this progressive technology to the communities we serve. We will be tracking and measuring long term patient outcomes and participating in research studies with our PT staff.” Ferren said, “This cutting edge, state-of-the-art rehabilitation therapy and we’re thrilled to be the providing it!”
The Bionic leg has been used on numerous patients with very successful out comes. A patient’s mother wrote a letter of appreciation stating, “He started walking at 9 months of age and by the age of 2 started deteriorating and diagnosed with CP at the age of 4. For the past 3 years he has been wheelchair bound and only able to transfer from chair with assist. We brought him to many neurologists who didn’t want to work with him.
Finally someone recommended the Alter G Bionic Leg. I can’t describe to you what a blessing this has been for my son. It’s made such a difference. The look on his face was amazement on his first treatment. After 6-7 visits he came walking out from his bedroom to the living room, by himself. This is a miracle and I’m so grateful.” ~~ Mrs. Damato
Nurse on Call
(239) 590-3016
