PhysioGait: Unweighted Training for Better Exercise & Recovery


As a revolutionary next step in gait training, therapy, rehabilitation, and fitness, the PhysioGait Dynamic Unweighting System introduces a whole new level of unweighted therapy innovation. Designed by HealthCare International, an industry leader in the manufacture of affordable and cutting-edge commercial and residential equipment for health, physical therapy, fitness, rehabilitation, and active aging, the PhysioGait provides simplified, unweighted training to enhance exercise and recovery.

This unique training device offers a multitude of clever design features working together to deliver safe and efficacious support for a variety of therapy and fitness applications. Its unique configuration provides 360-degree flexibility for the client and completely open accessibility for the therapist, enabling safer, stable training and hands-on support.

Often used for gait training, the versatile PhysioGait offers unilateral or bilateral unweighting, balance, and posture support for a client walking or running on any firm surface or rehab treadmill. Its exclusive configuration provides a host of benefits like no other unweighted training system, with complete adjustability to customize the features to each individual user - one single PhysioGait can meet the unique needs of multiple patients! It’s no wonder why this amazing new device is already so popular with clinicians, trainers, and therapists around the world.

The PhysioGait Difference

The distinctive design of the PhysioGait sets it above other unweighting training systems in several ways.

  • Flex-Yoke - The flexible yoke at the top of the PhysioGait adjusts in all ways, enabling a variety of unweighting applications and movements, such as mini-squats.
  • 360 Degree Yoke - The device’s SmartYoke provides the wireless gait scale capabilities, in addition to offering fully integrated 360-degree rotational movement, which is also lockable in any position. 
  • Actuator - The powerful and quietly-operating actuator facilitates smooth sit-to-stand transfers.
  • Gait Displacement Scale - The wireless gait scale measures unilateral and bilateral support, with a display that shows left and right gait, differential gait, and total unweighting.
  • Battery - The long-lasting battery ensures simple, powered operation, with no electrical cords getting tangled up with the patient or equipment. A wall-mounted charger is included.
  • Harness - The water-resistant harness comes in a universal adult size that’s adjustable to customize the comfort for each individual. 
  • Base - The base is available in two different sizes to suit your facility’s specific requirements. Choose the regular base to fit through doorways, or the extra-large base to fit over various types of rehab treadmills. 
  • Handles - The numerous vertical and horizontal handles provide convenient grips for patients, enhancing safety and support.
  • Physio-Stool - The magnetic and quick-release stool offers a fast and easy seat for therapists.

How Does the PhysioGait Work?

Specifically created for multiple platforms, applications, and patients, this quietly-running, battery-powered, unweighted training system includes an internal lift system to raise patients weighing up to 360 pounds. Offering both unilateral or bilateral support of the body, the harnesses can be adjusted gradually from fully loaded to fully unloaded, depending on each user’s personal unweighting requirements. 

Its unique design allows therapists and clinicians to control the patient’s lower limbs or pelvis, assuring correct gait and proper movements during therapy and rehab sessions. It also enables them to correct the patient’s posture, adjust the load amount, and perform an array of other adjustments and machine configurations to tailor the therapy for each individual user. 

The unweighted training offered by the PhysioGait helps to alleviate harmful joint impact, mitigating much of the pain often inherent with physical therapy and rehab. The specialized support it provides allows patients to have a full range of movement, keeping them upright with the proper posture, and offering stable balance as they walk and exercise.

Who Can Benefit from the PhysioGait?

The PhysioGait is able to help a wide range of users, and not just for gait training or recovery. It can also be utilized by athletic trainers and sports medicine physicians to enhance athletic performance, and for aerobic conditioning, recovery day training, and cross fitness. Additionally, the PhysioGait system can be employed for senior fitness, and to help the elderly with balance improvement, weight control, muscle tone, and for safer, supported exercise on treadmills.

The PhysioGait is perfect for a variety of physical therapy applications, and can also enhance neurological rehabilitation and even orthopedic recovery. Its many advantages include:

  • Dynamic unweighting - Partially suspends the user, relieving them from the burden of carrying most of their own body weight.
  • Fall prevention - Allows patients to walk comfortably on a flat surface or treadmill without fear of falling.
  • Teaches correct posture - Provides a great tool to help teach patients to walk with correct posture.
  • Improves motor skills - Helps patients gain better control over their movements
  • Offers a better sense of accomplishment for patients by helping them see faster recovery progress.

Regardless of disability, injury, or age, just about everyone can experience improved fitness and mobility with the PhysioGait system. Its active recovery allows users to engage longer in therapy and exercise without getting too sore or tired, with quicker functional gains in meeting therapy or fitness goals. 

The PhysioGait Dynamic Unweighting System is ideal for:

  • Orthopedic injuries and fractures
  • Gait weakness, disability
  • Sports injuries
  • Arthritis (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis)
  • Pre/Post-operative conditions
  • Painful and/or inflamed joints (knees, ankles, hips, neck)
  • Degenerative disc or joint disease, disc injuries, disc pain
  • Sciatica, SI joint pain
  • Scoliosis, Ankylosing spondylosis

The PhysioGait is a great system to utilize at any physical rehab or physical therapy facility, as well as athletic training centers and senior fitness facilities. It facilitates a much more natural walking pattern than pool or aquatic therapy, and offers safe, stabilized support with adjustable, unilateral and bilateral loading to specialize the therapy for every individual patient. This makes the PhysioGait an excellent solution for better training and recovery in almost any setting.

For more information on rehabilitation, fitness, or recovery, check out our full selection of articles at Caregiver University. If you're interested in comparing products or you're ready to purchase the perfect tool to help you train and get better, check out Rehabmart.com.

Author:

Megan has been a part of Rehabmart since its inception nearly 20 years ago. For the past several years she has been enjoying her role as HR Director while maintaining her Physical Therapy license. When she isn't working on her next in-service or working to find a new team member, she enjoys her five children, helping those who have PT type ailments, baking, practicing yoga, and working out.

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