As the patient walks with the h/p/cosmos robowalk, the cables at the front assist the movement of the legs with support. The cables at the rear can be used also as resistance and for gait correction training. Both the front and back system can be utilized together for even greater training effects. By adjusting the angle of the support/resistance cables either vertically or horizontally, movement correction is possible. The patented tension adjustment module involves readable scales on each cable for tension monitoring.
How does the h/p/cosmos robowalk® expander work?
First, elastic cables are attached to patient´s legs with comfortable leg cuffs. As the patient walks on the treadmill, the cables at the front assist the movement of the legs with support. The cables at the rear can be used also for rehabilitation on the treadmill - as resistance and for gait correction training. Both the front and back system can be utilized together for even greater training effects on the treadmill. By adjusting the angle of the support/resistance cables either vertically or horizontally, movement correction is possible. The patented tension adjustment module involves readable scales on each cable for tension monitoring.
A complete sophisticated treadmill rehabilitation system
Patients in physical therapy often suffer from restricted mobility. For some patients, even stepping onto the treadmill is difficult. The h/p/cosmos® rehabilitation treadmill system features a treadmill with a low access step height and extra long handrails that extend the full length of the treadmill. This is the safest way a patient with impaired ability to walk can use a treadmill. A professional wheelchair ramp is available as anaccessory, allowing comfortable access onto the running surface for most types of wheelchairs.
The h/p/cosmos mercury® med treadmill system for rehabilitation comes with a running surface of L: 150 cm (59.05“) x W: 50 cm (19.68“) which meets the standards for many applications. For special demands larger deck size treadmill models like the h/p/cosmos quasar® med, the high performance treadmill h/p/cosmos pulsar® 3p or special h/p/cosmos locomotion 150/50 de med treadmill with incorporated therapist seats and adjustable handrails are available. Custom-made models designed for higher body weights and for special applications are manufactured by h/p/cosmos®.
Therapy on the treadmill in the early stages of recovery
The course of therapy should start as early as possible and should be enjoyable for both, the patient and the therapist. For this to be possible, added support is often needed. The h/p/cosmos robowalk® treadmill rehabilitation-system provides support for the patients in several ways.
Supporting movement with the expander
The expander technology benefits the patient and the therapist during treatment on the treadmill by supporting the forward force of movement. In addition, it assists the therapists in moving the patient´s limbs rather than moving them manually. This leads to reduced fatigue in both patient and therapist and will enable extended treatment time leading to successful therapy. The robowalk® expander for treadmill therapy is a great help for especially challenging work with disabled patients.
Robowalk ... the "power steering" for locomotion therapy
In manual locomotion therapy the front robowalk® expander system with its traction force support on the thighs and / or also simultaneously on the shanks can be compared to a power steering system of a vehicle. The power consuming work and motion is supported by the system but not fully replacing the human effort.
Individual and reproduceable settings
The h/p/cosmos robowalk® expander is easy to use and therapists will appreciate the simple settings. Forces and angles of tension cables can be set individually via raster holes to match the skills of the patient or the requirements of the therapist. Due to the flexibility of the expander cables, the movement can be set from almost any point in front of or behind the patient. The rear expanders have very different functions and benefi ts compared to the front expanders. The rear cables do not create traction support like the front cables, but work as a resistance system for muscle training and gait correction. The rear expander cables can even be set outside the width of the treadmill so that adjustments from the side can be made to the patient´s leg positioning.
Since in many cases it is not required that the therapist works permanently hands on ‘contact’ with the patient, it allows the therapist to observe the movement of the patient and to observe the treatment progress by viewing the patient from different angles.
Once you have found the perfect setting for a patient you will want to use this at the next visit straight away. Each setting is numbered so that the therapists can easily record each patient´s specific setup for future therapy and training sessions.
Relief through body weight support
The patented and individually adjustable h/p/cosmos® arm support gives users the stability and safety that they need. The manual un-weighting arm support has cushioned U-shaped pads for patient´s forearms and ergonomic handgrips to provide them with the comfort and additional support they need. Additionally the patient can hold the two ergonomic hand grips giving tremendous positive impact on the comfort of the patient. The arm supports also have a positive mental impact on patients empowering them to walk without worrying about the fear of falling. If required, the optional h/p/cosmos® airwalk unweighting systems can unweight up to 160 kg (352 lbs) body weight with the help of a body vest.
The additional keyboard and additional stop button give both therapist and patient control at all times. Even if the therapist moves the additional keyboard down to the running deck to assist the patient‘s movement of the legs, the patient still has access to the additional stop button in the hand grip and can stop the treadmill without leaving the safety of the arm support.
Patient safety leads to positive results
An important accessory when working with the robowalk expander technology is the h/p/cosmos safety arch with fall stop and chest harness. In case of a fall, the patient will be secured and the treadmill will stop automatically. The comfortable chest harness secures the patient and prevents them from falling forwards without restricting or pinching them. In gait therapy or exercise with children, the safety arch is crucial because only patients who feel secure will be able to perform with the required movement and intensity.
The max. body weight for the safety arch is 200 kg / 441 lbs; the length of the harness is individually adjustable. Custom made systems are available.
For more detail: https://www.h-p-cosmos.com/en/products/medicine/neurological-gait-therapy-gait-training