Following the successful clinical trials at MossRehab in Philadelphia, the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County will offer ReWalk, an amazing advancement in mobility technology, through a gait training program at the Agency’s Fortunoff Treatment and Rehabilitation Center.
ReWalk is the only FDA-listed motorized exoskeleton device available to aid paraplegics to regain upright mobility. Under the supervision of healthcare professionals, people with paralysis below the waist can be trained to use ReWalk to stand, sit, walk, and climb stairs.
The ucpn will be the first facility to offer ReWalk training in the tri-state area.
“When expert facilities like ucpn offer ReWalk gait training programs it is beneficial to mobility-impaired individuals. The wheelchair, with its known detrimental impact on physical and mental health, productivity and inclusion, was until now the standard for mobility. By providing a realistic alternative to the wheelchair, ReWalk is the first real step forward in mobility assistance,” said Dr. Amit Goffer, the inventor of ReWalk and founder of Argo Medical Technologies Ltd., the Israeli company that developed ReWalk.
ReWalk is an exoskeleton bionic suit with leg braces worn over clothing. The leg braces have motorized knee and hip joints and are connected to a backpack the user wears. The backpack contains a computerized control box and a rechargeable battery that lasts about four hours of continuous use. (ReWalk was featured on an episode of FOX TV’s Glee in December 2010.) For stability, support, and safety, fore-arm crutches are used. Sensors analyze body movements, and changes in the center of gravity, such as leaning forward, trigger mechanisms that control and sustain gait movements and other operational modes. ReWalk is lightweight, approximately forty-four pounds, and relatively easy to maneuver, making this revolutionary technology a viable option for paraplegics. ReWalk can help people realize their dream of walking again.
ReWalk is available to people with use of their arms and shoulders. Individuals must have the upper body strength to use the crutches and have healthy cardiovascular systems and bone density because of the physical demands of the device. After passing a medical exam, individuals can be certified to use ReWalk by successfully completing a training program supervised at a rehabilitation facility such as UCPN. Visit rewalk.us for more info.
