We spoke with physiotherapist Carolin Schims from the LVR-school Volksgarten In Düsseldorf, who specializes in physical and motor development, about how individuals with movement disorders can regain more freedom of movement, and why the new aid Xplore is becoming increasingly important for a growing number of users.
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- A more active life for individuals with cerebral palsy
- A simple handling that provides the right conditions for intensive use of aids
- Strong support for therapeutic measures and objectives
- increased endurance in the affected individuals
Physiotherapists treating individuals with cerebral palsy are well aware of this: especially children with cerebral palsy have a significant need for adaptation to actively participate and for facilitation of social interactions with other children. Cerebral palsy is a permanent condition, and there is a need for lifelong follow-up to compensate for the impairment. For most of us, the ability to move is taken for granted. However, for people with disabilities, movement can be a significant challenge. In addition to coordinated physiotherapeutic training, it is crucial to have customized aids that promote independent activity, are easy to use and can also be used outdoors, for example, during the school day. This allows medical staff to have more time for actual therapy, and the aid becomes an integrated part of daily activities - something that Carolin Schims at the LVR-school Volksgarten in Düsseldorf also confirmed during our meeting with her.
At the school where Carolin works, students also receive physical and motor monitoring. The school operates according to a comprehensive educational concept, utilizing individual support plans, therapies such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy, and care. A wide range of professionals work at the school, collaborating across discipline. Primarily, physiotherapists and occupational therapists are involved in the therapeutic area. Moreover, the work at the LVR-school Volksgarten is supported by integration assistants.
Some of the most fundamental physiotherapeutic goals at the school are:
- Prevention of function loss
- Improvement and maintenance of mobility
- Development of motor skills
- Improvement and maintenance of muscle strength and endurance
- Stretching of shortened structures and active extensions
- Promotion of perception in individual areas
At the school, Carolin primarily treats children with Cerebral palsy, syndromes with limitations in standing and walking, vision and hearing, and hand function. The most important goals for their therapeutic approach are verticalization of the children and preventions of contractures or pneumonia Last but not least, it is crucial for Carolin that her students achieve the greatest possible independence and self-determination during the course of treatment.
Easy handling as a prerequisite for intensive use of aids
For the children with cerebral palsy as well as for the treating physiotherapists, it is crucial that the aids or walking aids can be adjusted to meet the child's needs. For the therapeutic benefit, the position of the upper body and legs play a decisive role in achieving optimal upright posture of the entire body. It is also important for the developers behind Xplore that the device could be quickly customized to fit the body sizes of children and adults alike. "only with simple usage are walking aids also extensively used in everyday life. Making the use of the aid practically feasible for dailiy life at school" says Carolin, who has many years of experience in this area.
At the special school in Düsseldorf, various types of walking aids are used. All students have a need for motor support. The aids are intended to enable the children to be more mobile and act on their own. A crucial factor for this are the assignment of the aid that best suits each student. Amongst the parameters, for example, is determining for which part of the body the child needs the most support. In addition, the physiotherapists are testing if the child can bear their own weight or if they need support in form of a seat or saddle.
The physiotherapists often encounter problems with overly complicated handling of the aids - which in turn often prevents caregivers from using the aids regularly and continuously with the children. However, Carolin Schims is also enthusiastic about how easy it is to use Xplore: "What really makes Explore unique is how quick and easy it is to use in everyday situations, such as transitioning from running to standing still. The walking aid can be adjusted quickly and adapted to different life situations - that is something that really helps in everyday life with Xplore"
A significant support for therapeutic interventions and goals
Equally relevant for therapists is the question of whether the child can independently handle and control the walking aid or if they need assistance from a caregiver. According to Carolin Schims, Xplore can meet these varying needs and requirements quickly and easily. The child can quickly begin to use the device in their daily routine without external help. "This ensures that each child receives optimal and individually tailored support," says the physiotherapist. Furthermore, the user's autonomy and proximity to others are enhanced by having hands-free operation when using XPLORE, even when steering it.
Xplore is particularly well-suited for children with CP, among others, who require a large support area with sufficient control over the head and chest.
- Carolin Schims
The walking aid's dynamic suspension, with alternating steering, additionally promotes step movements and thereby enables intensive and independent use, as well as a correct body posture that effectively counteracts "crouching" gait. This prevents pain, deformities and contractures. Carolin is also confident that this, in turn, prevents children from refusing the reflective and necessary movement patterns that therapists want them du execute.
Individuals with limited ability for independent movement are often sedentary, thereby increasing their risk of developing contractures and misalignments. By using the aid, which should be utilized several times daily for at least 30 minutes per day, an upright body posture and movement are achieved, which can act preventively against contractures. This also provides the child with the experience of independent movement and autonomy.
Increased endurance in children
Another advantage can be a significant improvement in endurance. Since Xplore is so easy to use, therapists can incorporate short, flexible breaks in the training and in everyday use. This way, therapists can gradually increase the realistic walking distance for their users. Children with, for example, cerebral palsy can handle longer distances without the usual signs of fatigue – this greatly eases the process during the different phases of training for both the users and therapists. The design features of Xplore, such as the support under the chest, the frame concept, and the dynamic forward lean, are designed so that energy can be optimally transferred to the upright position and movement, instead of being lost.
The ease and speed at which Xplore can be used in everyday situations make it an ideal choice for individuals with cerebral palsy, significantly improving their quality of life.
- Carolin Schims
For an increasing number of physiotherapists like Carolin Shims, Xplore is becoming an ever more meaningful tool to promote movement. "People with disabilities also have the right to a life in motion – both indoors and outdoors," says Carolin, adding: "And it is to enable just this that Xplore has been developed."
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