Gait Training

Gait Training allows individuals living with paralysis to repetitively practice standing and stepping using body weight support. Our certified activity-based trainers utilize the principals developed by the NeuroRecovery Network in order to maximize recovery.  

In a therapy session, the participant is suspended in a harness over a treadmill while specially trained therapists move his or her legs and body to simulate walking. As the person gains function, improvements in sitting, standing, reaching, grasping or walking occur.

Gait training is based on current knowledge of how the brain and spinal cord control stepping and how the nervous system learns a motor skill.  The goal is to retrain participants to stand and walk again as they did prior to injury.

When a client is participating in gait training, sensory information from the legs and trunk is repetitively sent to the spinal cord.  The sensory input comes from the actual stepping, from the manual contact of the therapist on the clients and from the contact of the sole of the foot on the ground. 

Our Gait Training takes in two different scenarios depending on client goals and function.

Body Weight Support Treadmill Training

This allows clients to repetitively practice stepping while being supported by our LiteGait Body Weight Support System. This session involves bouts of step retraining and adaptability while specially trained Activity-Based Trainers move the client’s legs to simulate walking.

This set up retrains the nervous system below the level of injury with the aim of improving postural control and walking.

Over Ground Gait Training

This setup uses adaptive equipment to assist clients with taking steps over ground. This style of therapy is used to promote early mobilization of the lower body.