Cerebral Palsy Technological News

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Health Alert - Treadmill training
A unique type of treadmill training can help disabled kids go the distance

April 26, 2006

When Tristan Schilling was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a baby, doctors weren't sure he'd survive. Now at 10, he's determined to learn to stand and walk.
Vicki Schilling sees that drive in Tristan, "He has so much will and desire and spirit and the motivation to just do what he wants to do."
In a study at Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia, Tristan, and others like him, trained for four weeks on a special treadmill.
Researchers like Kyle Josephic designed the work-out to help improve their fitness, coordination and mobility, "We just really wanted to give them a jump-start and an opportunity to try walking in an environment that is safe for them, that they can trust a little bit more."
The equipment supports some of Tristan's body weight so he can practice moving his walking muscles more easily. The training is intense, but the hard work paid off.
According to Dr. Josephic there's some positive results, "In general children were able to walk faster, be up more often and are more functional."
Vicki agrees, "The biggest thing that we've seen is that he has started to crawl, and also pull himself up onto his knees, and also make attempts to pull himself even up onto his feet."
So while treadmill therapy alone hasn't gotten Tristan walking, it does get him closer. And Tristan isn't giving up, "Some kids out there just give up and don't want to walk. They stay in a wheelchair forever. But me, I'm not giving up."
That's a powerful step forward.
The project is called the Speed Supported Treadmill Training Exercise Program (or SSTTEP) and is part of ongoing treadmill studies at Shriners for children with cerebral palsy.

What Is Body Weight Supported Treadmill Training?

Body weight supported (BWS) treadmill training is a method for retraining walking. A person using BWS is supported by a harness that is suspended from a metal frame or from the ceiling. The harness and BWS provide support and reduce the weight on your feet while you walk on the treadmill. The amount of support can be gradually increased or decreased according to your particular needs. For example, if your therapist increases the treadmill speed, you might need more BWS for a short while as you try to keep your balance and posture while walking faster.

Source: http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4819198

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