Modern rehabilitation medicine has made considerable progress in recent years, particularly through the use of innovative devices such as the Innowalk Pro. The proven end-effector gait trainer has been used successfully at the Hempel Rehabilitation & Movement practice since 2020. An interview with an experienced therapist.
In this article you can read about:
- The Hempel Rehabilitation & Movement practice
- The Innowalk Pro in everyday practice
- Measurable results and psychological effects
- Benefits for therapists and the therapy centre
- Conclusion: A win-win situation for everyone involved
The Hempel Rehabilitation & Movement practice
The Hempel Rehabilitation & Movement practice in Berlin-Wedding offers physiotherapy and health-promoting training, with the experienced and specialised team having access to numerous therapies and exclusive equipment.
Our interview partner Svenja Gergen is a passionate physiotherapist specialising in the neurological field. Before joining the practice team seven years ago, she worked in a neurological clinic and can therefore draw on experience with different patient groups and therapy options.
Svenja Gergen describes the wide range of patients - from orthopaedic to neurological cases - at the practice and adds:
“Before Covid, we mainly worked with phase C and D rehab patients, but we also increasingly have registrations from patients who have never received proper rehab or treatment. We also have stroke patients who, even if they have been in rehab, have not had appropriate therapy due to a lack of staff. In other words, we are now increasingly starting with the absolute basics. [...] For us, it's all about prevention, about maintaining existing functions - it's about small victories that make everyday life easier for the patient.”
The Innowalk Pro has played a significant role in this for almost 5 years now.
Neurological rehabilitation is divided into 6 phases, from A to F:
Phase A: Acute treatment phase - This is the initial phase where the primary focus is on acute medical treatment and stabilization of the patient.
Phase B: Early rehabilitation phase - Intensive medical treatment continues, but the patient begins to participate in early rehabilitation activities.
Phase C: Post-acute rehabilitation phase - Patients can actively participate in therapy but still require significant medical and nursing care.
Phase D: Post-early mobilization phase - Rehabilitation continues with a focus on improving mobility and independence.
Phase E: Follow-up rehabilitation and occupational rehabilitation - This phase involves continued rehabilitation with an emphasis on returning to work or daily activities.
Phase F: Long-term care and treatment phase - This final phase is for patients who require ongoing supportive care and maintenance of their condition
The Innowalk Pro in everyday practice
The Innowalk Pro is a robotic training device that enables patients to perform movements that they cannot longer perform independently due to their condition. With a wide range of customisation options, it is suitable for both orthopaedic and neurological patients, including individuals with Parkinson's disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Individual customisation to the patient's needs makes the Innowalk Pro a universal tool in therapy.
The movement trainer is frequently used in the Hempel Rehabilitation & Movement practice, particularly for patients with spasticity and limited mobility.
Svenja Gergen reports on an MS patient for whom the device is used in combination with free trunk exercises and stretching techniques. The therapy aims to reduce spasticity, improve circulatory stability and improve overall walking ability. Additionally, specific muscle groups and mobility are targeted to maximise the effects of the training.
Svenja Gergen adds:
“The patient comes to our facility twice a week. One session is dedicated to training in the Innowalk Pro, while the other focuses on selective training. [...] The primary goal is to reduce spasticity, as this is the main restriction in her everyday life. You can't expect any significantly changes from only two sessions a week. Therefore, it is essential that the patient carries out the exercises we have worked out together regularly at home, if possible, daily. However, MS is a progressively advancing conditions and we realise that we can mainly contribute to improving her quality of life with our therapeutic options and maybe slow down the progress of the disease.”
The primary goal is to reduce spasticity, as this is the main restriction in her everyday life.
Patients and therapists can utilize the movement trainer with great flexibility. Depending on the individual patient’s condition – whether mentally or physically - the Innowalk Pro sometimes ‘only’ serves as a kind of cross-trainer to improve gait, increasing walking distance or for balance training. It is not uncommon for training sessions to last 30-40 minutes or even longer.
The therapist also meeting challenges, particularly with new patients. For example, transferring the patient to the device or the unfamiliar strain on the circulation the individual person experience. However, these issues are quickly overcome as, according to Svenja Gergen, the training is “usually the only time of the week when the patients stand upright and move around for an extended period” and motivation soon predominates.
Measurable results and psychological effects
Patients' progress is measured using standardised tests such as the Berg Balance Test or the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). However, our interviewee highlights that the most significant achievements are often reflected in the subjective experiences of the patients. Many report that they feel more motivated and active and look forward to the regular sessions. The feedback is exclusively positive. The Innowalk Pro enables them to perform movements that they would otherwise not be able to do, which not only improves their physical quality of life, but also their mental quality of life.
Svenja Gergen tells us about a stroke patient who has been using the Innowalk Pro for about two years as an example of the physical and mental benefits that can be achieved with using the movement trainer:
“In the beginning, the patient hardly dared to use the device. We had to use a stepper to get her onto the device. She also had to be completely supported. Today: the device is prepared for her and then she gets into the device independently - that's it. She has no side supports on her hips, nothing on her upper torso, she is completely free. [...] Her ankle range of motion has improved; her muscle strength has improved, and she has improved psychologically in terms of her sense of security! Unfortunately, she only comes to us once a week, but that alone has led to such success!”
Svenja Gergen even describes the Innowalk Pro as a “motivation booster”.
Benefits for therapists and the therapy centre
For the therapists in this centre, the Innowalk Pro provides significantly physical relief. The high number of repetitions of movements made possible by the device would be almost impossible to achieve manually. The Innowalk Pro frees up time to concentrate on other aspects of treatment, such as combining it with cognitive training.
Svenja Gergen comments enthusiastically:
“The different settings and modules you can use depending on the goal make it universal and customisable. A dedicated therapist can achieve a lot with this kind of ‘tool’.”
The Innowalk Pro also helps to increase patient compliance by emphasising the added value of active therapy approaches. A positive atmosphere is created.
The therapy centre benefit from the opportunity to save time so that therapists can be deployed more diversely, offer group therapies and receive consistently positive feedback from patients. The attractiveness is increased.
Conclusion: A win-win situation for everyone involved
The Innowalk Pro is more than just a device - it is a partner in therapy that offers enormous benefits to patients, therapists and therapy centres alike. With its help, progress can be made that can be felt both physically and psychologically. Especially when working with neurological patients, it makes it possible to slow down the progression of the disease and improve quality of life.
The Innowalk Pro makes a real difference to patients' lives!
Many thanks to Svenja Gergen for the insights into her work and the interesting and inspiring interview!
