Steve Sarns

Physical Therapy Products recently spoke with Steve Sarns, VP of sales and marketing for NuStep Inc, Ann Arbor, Mich, about his company and how the industry has evolved.

How hard was it to get people on board with your company's philosophy of wellness when you first started out 20 years ago?
The concept of wellness was in its nascent stage when we introduced the various incarnations of what eventually was called the NuStep. While the response to our products was consistently positive, we realized that people needed to be educated about wellness, especially the older adult population. It was our great fortune to align ourselves and collaborate with a number of pioneers in the emerging field of aging and wellness. The other visionaries who saw the benefits of NuStep early on were our first customers. And when you look at the list of those people now, most are the leaders in their fields.

What is the biggest market for NuStep: fitness, wellness, or rehabilitation? Or can they not be separated?
At this point, they really cannot be separated. Rehabilitation is now reaching out beyond the confines of a rehabilitation center. We now understand that in order to prevent rehab from becoming a revolving-door experience, exercise shouldn't stop when someone leaves the rehab center. Exercise has to be continuous and remain a part of an individual's life to maintain the gains made in rehab. We also understand that exercise is an important tool for maintaining wellness, fending off physical deconditioning, and hopefully, preventing health issues or injuries that could result in trips to rehab.

What's the development process for something like the NuStep TRS 4000?
First and foremost, the driving force behind our development process is the voice of our customers. Our product-development team—which is led by Mark Hildebrandt and includes representatives from the R&D, manufacturing, sales, and marketing departments—works hard to understand what our customers need—even if they can't define it—and to come up with the best design to solve their needs. Our process also includes continual feedback, evaluations along the way, and most importantly, meeting world-class standards before we launch.

What can PTs expect from the next generation of rehab/fitness equipment?
I think there is going to be more focus on the varying needs of the aging population. Technology will play a role to give more useful information to PTs such as user data and outcome information. At the same time, with all this technology at our fingertips, it will be important to develop equipment that will be safe, nonthreatening, and easy to use to free up the PT and to ensure the user a high level of independence and dignity.

Does NuStep have anything planned for its anniversary?
Actually, we are quietly celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the launch of the NuStep recumbent cross trainer with a reception for our staff, families, and friends in September. As with any milestone we reach, we'll also celebrate all of those who have helped us continue in the business of transforming lives.

What was the inspiration for NuStep?
The inspiration for NuStep stems from an evolutionary process that began nearly 50 years ago when Dick Sarns, CEO and founder of NuStep Inc, formed his first company, Sarns Inc, in 1960. His first product, which he designed and built in his basement, was a heart/lung machine that eventually became the most widely used heart/lung machine in open-heart surgeries.

In 1977, Dick became aware of the importance of a healthy lifestyle in preventing heart disease after participating in a research program at The University of Michigan's Fitness Research Center. The test results prompted Dick to make major lifestyle changes—he did not want to be on the receiving end of open-heart surgery. Because more and more research was pointing to the importance of diet and exercise in mitigating the risk of heart disease, Dick also took that message to his employees and initiated a comprehensive wellness program at Sarns Inc in the late 1970s.

After selling Sarns Inc to 3M in 1981, where he stayed on as general manager for the next 5 years, Dick started a new company in 1987 called Life Plus. His new focus—developing a comfortable and easy-to-use product for a more mature population—resulted in a recumbent bike called the Life Plus 2000.

What came after that?
We had a very favorable response when the Life Plus 2000 was launched in 1989, but we soon learned from our customers that the recumbent bike had limitations for individuals with physical challenges—especially the older adult population with a limited range of motion. With that in mind, I conceived the idea of a total body seated stepper with a stepping action that provided variable step length to accommodate individuals with a limited range of motion. Other design refinements included the addition of oversized footplates with heel cups to help individuals use the machine independently, upper-body exercise levers to provide a total body workout, and contralateral reciprocal motion to enable those with lower-extremity weakness—even those with neurological impairment—gain the benefits of cardiovascular and strength training in a simulated walking motion.

What makes NuStep equipment different from that of other manufacturers?
We are passionate about transforming lives at NuStep, so the difference between us and other manufacturers goes beyond our physical product. We sell on a direct basis, and one of the main reasons we do so is to have continuing partnership with our customers. This partnership with our customers and the importance we place on their feedback is critical because it allows us to focus on their needs. We also put tremendous time and care into the design and quality of our products to make sure we meet the standards set by our end users. We have a well-trained, knowledgeable sales team that offers our customers a low-pressure, high-quality consultative experience.