The University of Maryland Rehabilitation & Orthopaedic Institute in Baltimore is now offering the Vector Gait & Safety System, a robotic trolley system for rehabilitation. The computerized device allows therapists to program the system to suit a patient’s specific needs, and the system tracks the movements of each patient and the distance walking, which enables the clinician to analyze the data and tailor the patient’s rehabilitation program. According to a University of Maryland Medical Center news release, the facility is the first in the US to use the system to help patients relearn to walk.
The University of Maryland Medical Center news release notes that the risk of fear and falling often affects patients recovering from severe injuries, and this fear may inhibit their progress in rehabilitation. As such, the Vector Gait & Safety System is designed to provide patients added security and allows them to overcome that fear, which can maximize benefits from therapy. Peter Gorman, MD, of the Maryland institute, explains, “The body weight support gives the patients the security to know that they will not fall, and the degree of support can be adjusted as the patients regain strength and mobility.”
Lori Patria, director of rehabilitation therapy services at the institute, states, “The system allows many of our patients to walk earlier in their rehabilitation program without an assistive device, such as a cane or walker. Patients who have used the Vector tell us that they feel extremely secure, which gives them the confidence to progress in their rehabilitation.”
Source: University of Maryland Medical Center
