Therasuit MethodⓇ Proprioceptive exercises
Grace Goodfellow, DPT
In April of 2023, I traveled to South Florida for a continuing education course all about the ThearSuit MethodⓇ proprioceptive exercises. In this blog post will go into what the TheraSuit MethodⓇ is and how it might help your child.
What is the TheraSuit Method?
The TheraSuit MethodⓇ is an approach to therapy services that uses several different modalities to help your child meet their goals. This method is three part: the TheraSuitⓇ, the pulley system and the spider suspension system within the Universal Exercise Unit. The TheraSuitⓇ is a soft dynamic proprioceptive orthotic device that uses a system of bungees that are used to activate postural muscles and if needed help facilitate or inhibit other muscles that are needed for specific movement patterns. The Universal Exercise Unit, also known as, the Cage has two different systems: the pulley system and the spider suspension system. The pulley system allows for independent and assisted movements with gravity eliminated. The spider suspension system supports their body with elastic cords which can either assist in movements or resist movements in order to achieve strengthening.
The pulley system and spider suspension system of the Universal Exercise Unit.
Indications for TheraSuitⓇ:
Cerebral Palsy
Developmental Delays
Developmental Coordination Disorders
TBI
Stroke
Hypertonicity
Hypotonicity
Dyskinesia
Autism
Spina Bifida or SCI
Down Syndrome
Benefits for TheraSuitⓇ
Deep proprioceptive input
Provides external activation of muscles for stabilization
Helps organize muscle tone: restores center of gravity, reduces hypertonicity, influences vestibular system, activates postural muscles
Changes biomechanical alignment
Corrects gait pattern
Improves balance and coordination
Improved body and spatial awareness
Supports head and trunk control
Improves bone density through dynamic activation of muscles
Provides tactile information
TheraSuit is indicated for many diagnoses.
The Universal Exercise Unit
Indications for the Universal Exercise Unit
Decreased muscle strength
Poor bone density, osteopenia osteoporosis
Poor or inadequate proprioceptive input
Hypotonia
Hypertonia
Poor core activation or stabilization
Poor balance or coordination
Movement apraxia
Benefits for the Universal Exercise Unit
Improve functional muscle strength types (concentric, isometric, and eccentric)
Increase ROM
Develop dissociated movements
Provide deep proprioceptive input and improve proprioception
Improve balance and coordination
Midline orientation
Independent movement
Function and skill attainment
TheraSuit helps children perform movement patterns and new skills in supported or gravity-eliminated positions.
Is the TheraSuit or the Universal Exercise Unit a good fit for your child?
Overall, this course was super helpful to identify new ways to help the children that we already see and continue to grow Ability Innovations to reach more children in need of therapy services. The Universal Exercise Unit allows children to perform movement patterns and new skills in supported or gravity-eliminated positions, which can help reach new goals little-by-little and gain the strength needed for new functional skills. The TheraSuitⓇ can help improve postural control and in target specific muscles to improve movement patterns such as gait pattern.
Through this course and previous clinical experience, I have specifically seen improvements in so many different children. It can be helpful for an array of diagnoses including diagnoses of low tone and increased tone. Often the TheraSuit and the Universal Exercise Unit are used in conjunction during an intensive therapy program. Intensive therapy is typically an increased frequency of therapy services for a shorter period of time, for example: 5x/week for 3 hours for 3 weeks total, and then they return to weekly sessions after an intensive therapy program. This is often great when a child is so close to meeting a new functional skill and just needs that extra push, often after a growth spurt, or just a more intense period of strengthening to continue to maintain their functional skills.
Ability Innovations is eager to continue to expand our clinic in order to offer these services to the children we serve. Also it is a fun tool to implement within weekly sessions not only within the intensive therapy sessions. We hope to bring AI’s play-based approach into the pediatric intensive therapy world to continue to serve your child and have fun!