Innowalk Pro in schools: movement, learning and participation

The Innowalk Pro is designed for children and young people who have limited or no ability to stand and walk independently. Its adaptable support system and flexible positioning, from sitting to standing, mean that a broad range of pupils can use it, including those with:

• Cerebral palsy
• Acquired brain injury
• Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)
• Muscular dystrophy
• Genetic syndromes and other conditions affecting movement

In special schools and colleges, this typically means pupils who spend most of the school day in a wheelchair or other seating, and who have few opportunities to bear weight or move their legs. Many have complex physical needs at GMFCS levels IV and V, and some also have profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD). The Innowalk Pro supports the user’s full body weight and guides the leg movement, so pupils don’t need to be able to take steps themselves.

Regular movement supports:

• Improved joint flexibility
• Healthy circulation
• Better digestive and respiratory function
• Reduced risk of pressure injuries
• Enhanced muscle strength and endurance
• Improved posture and alignment
• Better bone health
• Increased energy levels
• Improved mood and emotional wellbeing
• Greater independence in daily activities

Being upright, active, and participating builds confidence and can enhance a student’s sense of independence. Regular opportunities to move and engage can also improve mood, reduce feelings of anxiety, and help students feel more positive about their abilities and achievements.

Movement sessions can be incorporated into classroom activities, therapy programs, or social experiences, promoting greater involvement in school or college life. This helps students feel more included alongside their peers, supporting meaningful interaction, collaboration, and a stronger sense of belonging.

Schools and colleges using the Innowalk Pro in special educational (SEN) settings consistently report meaningful improvements in student engagement, physical health, and overall wellbeing. For students with limited or no independent mobility, it creates opportunities for movement that would otherwise not be possible during the school day.

A key benefit is the ability to provide regular, repetitive, weight-bearing movement in a safe and supported environment. This allows students to experience a walking-like motion, which can support:

• posture and alignment
• muscle activation
• overall mobility
• physical comfort

Being upright and moving also supports essential body functions. Improved circulation, respiratory function, and digestion are commonly associated with regular movement—areas that can be negatively affected by prolonged sitting.

Beyond physical outcomes, movement plays an important role in sensory regulation. Many schools observe that students become more alert, focused, and ready to engage in learning following sessions with the Innowalk Pro.

Importantly, the device also supports greater inclusion and participation. By enabling students to take part more actively in classroom routines, therapy sessions, and school life, the Innowalk Pro helps create a more accessible and equitable learning environment for students with complex needs.

The Innowalk Pro can be used effectively as an adjunct to existing therapy sessions and as a tool to help attaintment of goals. 

Students can participate in storytelling, group work, or sensory tasks while in the device. By using the Innowalk Pro within the classroom environment, they are able to be more actively included in lessons, engage alongside their peers, and participate in shared learning experiences in a meaningful and visible way, promoting a stronger sense of belonging and collaboration. 

Sessions can be tailored to help students:

• Calm down

• Activate before learning

• Reset after transfers/tasks

Successful implementation of the Innowalk Pro relies on strong collaboration between therapy teams and classroom staff. Best practice typically involves therapists—such as physiotherapists or occupational therapists—leading on assessment and set-up. They prescribe individualised settings based on each student’s physical needs, which are then reviewed and adjusted over time as the student grows or their needs change, ensuring continued safety and effectiveness.  

Classroom staff play a key role in day-to-day use. With appropriate training, they can confidently support regular Innowalk Pro sessions as part of the school routine, helping to embed movement into everyday learning and care.

Made for Movement supports this process through comprehensive training and ongoing guidance. Staff receive hands-on instruction to ensure safe and effective use, along with support for optimisation and troubleshooting when needed. Individualised movement plans help align sessions with each student’s physical, sensory, and educational goals, while regular monitoring ensures outcomes remain relevant and meaningful.

This shared, team-based approach creates a sustainable model where movement becomes a natural part of the school day – benefiting both students and staff over the long term.

By providing safe, weight-bearing, and guided movement in an upright position, the Innowalk Pro supports postural alignment and helps improve overall positioning throughout the day. For students with limited voluntary mobility, it also makes regular physical activity more accessible—something that can otherwise be difficult to achieve. This consistent movement can contribute to circulation, joint health, and general physical wellbeing.

Beyond physical benefits, schools report positive effects in the classroom. Students are often more alert, engaged, and ready to participate after sessions, suggesting that integrating movement into the school day can support attention, behaviour, and learning.

There is also growing indication that regular use may help reduce secondary complications linked to inactivity, such as stiffness and discomfort. Feedback from therapists and educators further supports this, with consistent reports of improved comfort, wellbeing, and engagement—reinforcing the value of embedding structured movement into daily routines.

What did the heROIC study look at?

The heROIC study was the first UK study of the Innowalk Pro in a school setting. It took place at a London special school for 90 pupils with complex physical and learning needs, sponsored by Whittington Health NHS Trust. Twenty-seven children and young people aged 5–18 with cerebral palsy (GMFCS level IV or V) used the Innowalk Pro for 30 minutes, four times a week, for six weeks, on top of their usual physiotherapy. The study was published in Child: Care, Health and Development in 2023.

• The group's average CPCHILD score rose from 60.4 to 63.5 after six weeks and to 66.0 six weeks later. It was still above the starting point (64.8) after three months (p = 0.004).
• The biggest gains were in comfort and emotions (up 9.4 points, from 73.7 to 83.1) and positioning, transferring and mobility (up 5.5 points, from 38.5 to 44.0).
• Around four in ten pupils improved by at least six points (the level parents notice) in these areas: 48% for positioning, transferring and mobility, and 42% for comfort and emotions

• 88% of pupils (22 of 25) met or exceeded their individual functional goals after the six-week block.
• Goals were set together with the pupil, their parents, the physiotherapist and the teacher.

Real goal examples from the study:

• Lift the head for about two minutes to read a book while sitting on a bench
• Sit straight in their chair 50% of the time
• Sit cross-legged without support for 15 minutes
• Pull themselves to stand using a ladderback chair
• Take 4–6 purposeful steps using a standing sling
• Only need a break from their wheelchair because of pain at 5pm
• Get to sleep by midnight

Results: older pupils benefited most

Secondary-aged pupils' quality of life scores rose by an average of 6.5 points, against a small fall (0.8 points) for primary-aged pupils. The authors note that teenagers with complex CP are often more sedentary and their motor function tends to decline with age, which makes regular movement especially valuable at secondary school and college.

What the study did not show

• There was no clinically meaningful change in range of movement or spasticity straight after the six weeks.
• Gains faded after a break. Six to twelve weeks after the block ended, functional goals tended to return to their starting level and knee extension reduced by up to seven degrees.
• It was a single-group study without a control group, at one school, so results should be read with that in mind.
• Made for Movement lent the Innowalk Pro free of charge for the study. The study received no funding.

Recommendations

The authors recommend regular blocks of use, with no more than six weeks between blocks, to keep the benefits. A block model also lets more pupils share one device across the school year. Choose pupils against clear individual goals and review them regularly so access stays fair.

Made for Movement provides comprehensive ongoing support to ensure staff feel confident, capable, and supported at every stage.

From the outset, schools receive hands-on training to enable safe and effective use of the Innowalk Pro. As confidence grows, our team continues to provide optimisation support, helping you tailor use of the device to each individual student’s needs and maximise outcomes.

We also offer responsive troubleshooting guidance, ensuring that any questions or challenges can be quickly resolved with minimal disruption to daily routines.

To maintain performance and reliability, the Uptime Service Program includes servicing and repairs—giving schools peace of mind that the equipment remains safe, effective, and ready for daily use.

For more established settings, we offer a CPD-accredited “Train the Trainer” course. This enables experienced staff to train colleagues internally, supporting scalability, consistency, and long-term sustainability within your organisation.

This partnership approach helps schools confidently embed movement into everyday practice, ensuring lasting impact for students with complex needs.

The Innowalk Pro is a motorised device that guides the legs through repetitive, walking-like movement while the user is supported in a standing or semi-standing position. It is designed for people with limited or no ability to stand and walk independently, and allows both active-assisted and passive movement. 

No. A standing frame holds a pupil upright in a static position. The Innowalk Pro adds motorised, guided movement of the legs while the pupil bears weight, so they move rather than just stand. It also supports sit-to-stand transitions and does not use a harness. 

It comes in two sizes. The Medium suits users 120–165 cm tall and up to 80 kg. The Large suits users 150–200 cm tall and up to 110 kg. The device will be available in size small 90-130 cm from December 2026. Typical users have cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury, spinal muscular atrophy, muscular dystrophy or a genetic syndrome. A physiotherapist or occupational therapist assesses each pupil before use.

The therapist sets session length for each pupil. In the UK heROIC study, pupils used the Innowalk Pro for 30 minutes a day, four days a week. A 30-minute session at 65 RPM gives roughly 2,000 steps.

Therapists assess pupils and prescribe their settings. Classroom staff who have completed the one-day Operator Training can then run daily sessions using those settings. Larger settings can take the CPD-accredited Train the Trainer course, which certifies experienced staff to train colleagues in-house. 

The device has a footprint of about 2 m². Built-in transport wheels let you move it between rooms. You need step-free access and a power supply, and hoisting can be accommodated where needed. 

Pricing depends on size and service package, so contact us for a quote. Your Product Specialist can help with fundraising and next steps after a loan.  

Yes. Start with a demonstration day at your school (allow at least half a day). After that, you can apply for a 4–6 week loan, subject to availability. The loan includes training for up to six staff, assessment and set-up for up to six pupils, and an optimisation session. 

In the heROIC study (Grodon et al., 2023), 27 pupils with cerebral palsy at GMFCS IV–V used the Innowalk Pro for 30 minutes, four times a week, for six weeks at a London special school. 88% met or exceeded their individual functional goals. Average quality of life scores (CPCHILD) improved, with the biggest gains in comfort and emotions, and the largest improvements were in secondary-aged pupils. There was no meaningful change in range of movement or spasticity.