Excy Portable Full-Body Exercise Bike on PT-Helper

Excy was created by Michele Mehl after breaking her leg while rollerblading with her son. Complications during her recovery, included a blood clot, resulted in her inability to exercise like she used to. So she created a portable full-body exercise bike to help herself and others to recover from their injuries.

“After months of physical therapy and relying on caretakers after breaking my leg, I got just a small glimpse into the plight of those living with injury, disability, and disease,” Mehl said. “It was an eye-opening experience that led me to re-think the type of company I wanted to build, which I captured in a blog post from the couch while being non-weight bearing.”

Changes in treatment strategies provide new opportunities for portable exercise equipment to improve outcomes. This Johns Hopkins Medicine article “Recovering from Surgery/Intensive Care” says moving the legs and feet in the recovery room stimulates circulation. One option is to “bicycle” which can be implemented with the Excy exercise bike while the patient remains on the bed. In addition, a study at McMaster University reports that cycling in bed is safe for ICU patients and may help them go home sooner, stronger and happier.

The Excy portable full-body bike can be used with leg and arm isometric, back & forth motion, and forward and backward pedaling exercises to build strength and range of motion. More advanced exercises will also develop core strength.

PT-Helper had the good fortune of meeting Michele at the 2018 American Physical Therapy Association’s Combined Sections Meeting when we were neighbors on the exhibit floor. Our common experience of creating a health-related start-up after an injury as well as our mutual interest in cycling opened the door for us to collaborate.

PT-Helper has added Excy exercises into our library to include the XCS Pro portable total body cycling system, designed to offer easier access to quality bed, chair, and floor pedaling exercises. A few examples of the Excy exercises available on PT-Helper are shown below:

• Excy Horizontal Floor and Bed Cycling

• Excy Chair Recumbent Position

• Excy Hand Cycle on Bed/Floor 

These exercises as well as more strenuous Excy exercises are now available on both PT-Helper CONNECT exercise prescription software and mobile app, in addition to our existing library of shoulder, knee & hip, neck and many other exercises.

Excy is currently holding a $100 off sale on their most popular models which ends on November 30, 2018. PT-Helper users can use coupon code “PT-Helper” at check out to get an additional $50.00 off. Coupon code expires on December 31, 2018.

Start your Free 30-day Trial of the PT-Helper CONNECT service for physical therapists and other wellness professional, to prescribe Home Exercise Programs.

Download the PT-Helper mobile app for patients and exercise enthusiasts to create your exercise program.

                      

Benefits of Activator Poles compared to the use (or in conjunction with) of Canes, Crutches and Walkers

Is there a more effective alternative to traditional passive devices such as canes, crutches and walkers for rehabilitation? The case for the ACTIVATOR™ Poles.

Specialized walking poles called Activator Poles are being internationally recognized as revolutionizing rehabilitation practices. The evidence-based Poles are being prescribed as a highly effective alternative (or in conjunction) to traditional passive devices such as canes and to reduce/delay the use of crutches and walkers (when appropriate) to improve outcomes for balance, core strengthening, off-loading and normalizing walking patterns.

Patients are also praising the Activator Poles for promoting the concept of Ability vs Disability associated with canes, crutches and walkers. Developed by a Canadian therapist, Mandy Shintani BSc (OT), MA (Gero), the Activator Poles have been the focus of presentations at the International 200 Years of Parkinson’s Disease conference, National Fall Prevention Conference and last month at the International Stroke Congress. They are prescribed in neurology, orthopedics, geriatrics, spinal conditions, pediatrics across Canada and now internationally. 

“For the past 5 years I have consistently recommended the Activator poles for patients… they have been especially helpful for spinal stenosis patients who have undergone surgical decompression…. They have been instrumental in promoting an upright posture and a functional walking pattern compared to canes and walkers. In my opinion they facilitate rehabilitation and return patients to optimal function faster.” Dr. Charles G. Fisher MD MHSc FRCSC, Surgeon, Past President of the Canadian Spine Society

These photos below highlight some of the challenges associated with cane use with the stroke population including; trunk rotation, hip hiking, no arm swing of the affected arm, leaning to one side and limited weight-bearing on the affected leg (picture on left side). Canes provide a visual, proprioceptive and sensory cueing to the normal side however, rehabilitation modalities should be focusing the patient’s attention to the affected side. In comparison, Activator Poles promote bilateral cueing to the affected arm and leg, greater arm swing, weight bearing on the affected leg, upright posture and truck facing forward. The technique of using walking poles mimic the same pattern as normal walking, opposite arm and leg movement.

 

                Stroke client with Cane     Stroke client with Activator Poles

In 2005, Mandy Shintani discovered the concept of Nordic walking poles from her Swedish neighbour who indicated that the activity was very popular in Scandinavia by people of all ages and fitness levels. Recognizing that walking poles would be effective for the key goals of rehabilitation, she re-engineered the Activator Poles with design features for increase safety and stability for rehabilitation clients. They are backed by 8 recent/current research studies on reducing the risk of falls, balance, mobility, off loading on the knee joints and posture at the renowned Royal National Orthopedic Hospitals in the UK. Wendy Walker, UK neurological therapist comments on the patented Core Grip design which was developed for engaging core strengthening with each step, off loading and weight bearing for balance. The handle was designed without straps which are related to the highest rate of injury according to a German study by Knobloch et. al., 2006. 

"The Activator poles have a unique hand-grip which enables the user to stabilize their arm through the lateral border of the hand, thus providing a little more stability than standard walking poles as well as promoting a more neutral wrist posture." UK neurological therapist Wendy Walker, Physiopedia, Dec 2016 

While therapists initially prescribed ACTIVATOR Poles for gait retraining and mobility in Canada, they are now utilized extensively for innovative seated, standing and pre-gait exercises, with many of these exercises now found on the PT-Helper App. The Poles provide the same benefits for exercise including; promoting an upright posture, allowing greater ROM with bilateral support, sensory and visual cueing to the affected side. Core strengthening can be activated by applying a downward pressure on the ledge of the CoreGrip while exercising. Here are some sample exercises below.

The patented Activator Poles are now being launched into the USA. To learn more about the research, technique, use and contraindications of the Activator Poles, register for a 30-minute introductory webinar called Internationally Renowned Activator Poles on Wed Dec 5, 2018. With registration, you can receive a recording via email if you are unable to attend the live session. PT-Helper users can also use the coupon code of TRIAL2018 at www.urbanpoling.us to obtain the Activator Poles at 30% off*. For more information, videos on the adjustment and technique as well as research visit www.urbanpoling.us 

*one coupon code per rehab professional. Available until December 31, 2018.



Start your Free 30-day Trial of the PT-Helper CONNECT service for physical therapists and other wellness professional, to prescribe Home Exercise Programs.

Download the PT-Helper mobile app for patients and exercise enthusiasts to create your exercise program.

Exercises Before & After Hip Replacement Surgery

Hip replacement surgeries have grown in the United States from 138,700 in 2000 to 310,800 in 2010. The growing elderly population has contributed to the rise in these numbers where 2.3% of adults 50 years and older have had a hip replaced. By 80 years of age, 6% of this population will have had a hip replaced.

Improvements in joint replacement surgery has reduced the risk as well as shortened the recovery time resulting in improved lifestyle of the patient. A significant component to regaining mobility after surgery includes physical therapy.

Prior to surgery, you can start doing hip exercises to build strength to help your recovery. Possibly more importantly, doing exercises prior to surgery establish the practice and routine of doing your exercises that you will need to continue post-surgery. This is particularly important if your hip pain has prevented you from maintaining an active lifestyle.

Fortunately, hip exercises pre- and post-surgery are very similar.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has provided a “Total Hip Replacement Exercise Guide” which has many of the same exercises recommended by Allina Health in their “Before Surgery Exercise Program”. You can find these exercises within the PT-Helper mobile app.

Reminder: Please consult your physician or physical therapist before engaging in any physical activity and stop if you experience pain or discomfort.

Some of these recommended exercises can be found below:

• Ankle Pumps - While sitting or lying down, pump your ankles up and down.

 

• Quad Sets - Lie on your back with one knee bent and the other leg straight. Tighten your thigh muscle on the straight leg and push the back of your knee against the ground. Hold. Relax.

• Short Arc Quads - Lie on your back with one leg over the bolster and the knee bent. Tighten your muscles on the top of your thigh and straighten your knee. Hold. Slowly lower to starting position while keeping the bottom of the knee resting on the bolster.

• Straight Leg Raises - Lie on your back with one leg bent and the other leg straight. Tighten the front of your thigh of the straight leg. Keeping the leg straight, raise the leg off the floor or bed no higher than 45 degrees. Keep thigh muscle engaged on the way down too!

• Knee Extension (sitting) – While sitting, raise your leg by straightening your knee fully while contracting your quad. Slowly lower your leg. Weights may be placed around your ankle.

• Hip Abduction - Standing straight, keep both thighs tight. Kick out to the side keeping toes straight ahead and both legs straight, then return to starting point.

Reminder: Please consult your physician before engaging in any physical activity and stop if you experience pain or discomfort.

Start your Free 30-day Trial of the PT-Helper CONNECT service for physical therapists and other wellness professional, to prescribe Home Exercise Programs.

Download the PT-Helper mobile app for patients and exercise enthusiasts to create your exercise program.