The University of Maryland Rehabilitation & Orthopaedic Institute has announced the use of a new robotic trolley system to provide patients recovering from stroke, spinal cord or brain injuries with added security during rehabilitation.
The Vector Gait & Safety System allows therapists to program the system for each patient’s needs, including individualized body weight support. The system provides real-time feedback and keeps track of each patient’s movements and distance walked, enabling therapists to analyze the data and tailor each patient’s rehabilitation program. The University of Maryland Rehabilitation & Orthopaedic Institute is the first U.S. facility to use this vector body weight support system.
“The robotic trolley system moves on a ceiling-mounted, overhead track and connects to a harness holding the patient. The body weight support gives the patients the security to know that they will not fall, and the degree of support can be adjusted as the patients regain strength and mobility,” Peter Gorman, MD, associate professor of neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and chief of the division of rehabilitation at the University of Maryland Rehabilitation & Orthopaedic Institute, stated in a press release.
“The system allows many of our patients to walk earlier in their rehabilitation program without an assistive device, such as a cane or walker. Patients who have used the Vector tell us that they feel extremely secure, which gives them the confidence to progress in their rehabilitation,” Lori Patria, director of rehabilitation therapy services at the University of Maryland Rehabilitation & Orthopaedic Institute, stated.
