TheraSuit

Discover VO2 Max Testing—a fundamental assessment in exercise physiology that measures the maximum amount of oxygen an individual can utilize during intense exercise. This metric is a crucial indicator of cardiovascular fitness and endurance capacity.Discover TheraSuit—a soft dynamic proprioceptive orthotic that is FDA registered and currently utilized in over 32 different clinics and hospitals across the United States. TheraSuit is designed to treat patients diagnosed with cerebral palsy, hemiplegia, stroke, developmental delays, ataxia, athetosis, traumatic brain injuries, and many other neurological disorders. It is especially beneficial for patients suffering from sensory disintegration problems and autism.

• Dynamic Orthotic System: Through a system of elastic rubber bands, TheraSuit aligns a patient’s body as close to normal as possible. This restoration of posture and proper function of postural muscles allows patients to learn (or relearn) proper movement patterns. The patient’s body receives specific and unique pressure that restores deep proprioception from joints, ligaments, and muscles.
• Enhanced Movement and Coordination: TheraSuit provides external stabilization to the trunk, allowing more fluent and coordinated movement for both upper and lower extremities. Fine and gross motor skills improve in 94% of patients, while speech productivity and fluency are noted in 64%. Significant improvements are also observed in the vestibular system.
• Immediate Postural Changes: When TheraSuit is applied, the precise placement of elastic bands moves the entire body back on the heels into a more vertical position, shifting the center of gravity back between the feet. Noticeable changes in muscle tone occur, resulting in a more relaxed and upright posture with corrected alignment of lower and upper extremities. TheraSuit normalizes muscle tone through these postural changes. Patients with ataxia and athetosis benefit from TheraSuit due to its stabilizing effect on the trunk, requiring more hours of use but experiencing significant benefits.
• Unique Pressure Application: TheraSuit applies very specific pressure to the body. As Desmond Morris emphasizes, the nervous system is exposed to pressure from the second week of gestation, which is crucial for proper development. Premature and neurologically damaged babies are often deprived of this crucial input. TheraSuit restores nervous system function by providing tactile stimulation and pressure all over the body, addressing sensory integration problems effectively.
• Dynamic Correction: What makes TheraSuit unique is its ability to provide dynamic correction. This means it allows errors to occur but simultaneously facilitates the correct position or movement, ensuring proper rehabilitation and functional improvement.

TheraSuit  Applications: 

• Cerebral Palsy: TheraSuit helps individuals with cerebral palsy by aligning the body and restoring proper posture, allowing patients to learn or relearn correct movement patterns, which improves motor skills and overall function.
• Developmental Delays: For children with developmental delays, TheraSuit provides the necessary proprioceptive input and external stabilization, enhancing motor development and coordination.
• Traumatic Brain Injury: TheraSuit aids recovery in traumatic brain injury patients by stabilizing the trunk and improving muscle tone, which promotes better movement and coordination.
• Post Stroke (CVA): Stroke patients benefit from TheraSuit through its ability to restore proper alignment and muscle tone, helping them regain motor function and improve daily living activities.
• Ataxia: TheraSuit stabilizes the trunk for patients with ataxia, reducing uncoordinated movements and improving balance and overall stability.
• Athetosis: For individuals with athetosis, TheraSuit provides external support that reduces involuntary movements and promotes more controlled and coordinated actions.
• Spasticity (Increased Muscle Tone): TheraSuit normalizes muscle tone for patients with spasticity, leading to a more relaxed posture and enhanced movement control.
• Hypotonia (Low Muscle Tone): TheraSuit improves muscle activation and posture in patients with hypotonia, helping them achieve better functional movement and stability.

TheraSuit Benefits: 

• Re-trains Central Nervous System: Assists in retraining the central nervous system, promoting the development of correct movement patterns. This improvement in neural pathways enhances overall functional abilities, leading to better motor control and coordination.
• Restores Ontogenic Development: Supports the restoration of ontogenic development by aiding patients in regaining fundamental motor skills that follow natural developmental sequences. This process is crucial for rebuilding essential physical abilities. 
• Provides External Stabilization: Offers external stabilization, which enhances trunk support and leads to better coordinated and controlled movements. This stabilization is particularly beneficial for patients with weakened core muscles, providing the necessary support for improved mobility.
• Normalizes Muscle Tone: Helps normalize muscle tone, enabling patients to achieve a more relaxed and natural posture. This reduction in spasticity significantly improves functional movement and overall comfort.
• Aligns the Body to as Close to Normal as Possible: Works to align the body as close to normal as possible, facilitating correct postural alignment. This improvement in body mechanics aids in reducing compensatory movements and promotes more efficient physical activity.
• Provides Dynamic Correction: Offers dynamic correction, allowing errors in movement to occur but guiding the body toward correct positions and actions simultaneously. This dual approach ensures continuous improvement in motor skills and functional movements.
• Normalizes (Corrects) Gait Pattern: Aids in normalizing gait patterns, improving walking ability and overall mobility for patients with movement disorders. This enhancement leads to safer and more effective ambulation.
• Provides Tactile Stimulation: Delivers tactile stimulation, which enhances sensory integration and aids in the development of motor skills. This stimulation is particularly beneficial for patients with sensory processing issues, promoting better sensory-motor integration.
• Influences the Vestibular System: Positively influences the vestibular system, improving balance and spatial orientation. This improvement helps reduce the risk of falls and enhances overall stability.
• Improves Balance: Enhances balance by providing stability, which is crucial for patients with balance impairments. This improvement leads to greater confidence in performing daily activities and reduces the risk of accidents.
• Improves Coordination: Boosts coordination, enabling smoother and more precise movements. This enhancement is vital for patients recovering from neurological or orthopedic conditions, promoting better overall motor function.
• Decreases Uncontrolled Movements in Ataxia and Athetosis: Reduces uncontrolled movements in patients with ataxia and athetosis, promoting more controlled and intentional actions. This reduction in involuntary movements significantly improves the quality of life for these patients.
• Improves Body and Spatial Awareness: Enhances body and spatial awareness, helping patients navigate their environment more effectively. This improvement is essential for developing better proprioception and reducing the likelihood of injuries.
• Supports Weak Muscles: Provides crucial support to weak muscles, aiding in their activation and strengthening. This support is essential for patients with muscle weakness, enabling them to perform activities they otherwise couldn't.
• Provides Resistance to Strong Muscles to Further Enhance Strengthening: Offers resistance to strong muscles, further enhancing their strength and endurance. This resistance training is beneficial for building muscle mass and improving overall physical fitness.
• Improves Speech Production and Its Fluency Through Head Control and Trunk Support: Enhances speech production and fluency by improving head control and providing trunk support. This improvement is particularly beneficial for patients with speech difficulties related to poor postural control.
• Promotes Development of Both Fine and Gross Motor Skills: Encourages the development of both fine and gross motor skills, facilitating better dexterity and overall motor function. This promotion is crucial for patients with developmental delays or neurological impairments.
• Improves Bone Density: Helps improve bone density through weight-bearing activities and proper alignment. This enhancement is vital for preventing osteoporosis and ensuring stronger bones.
• Helps to Decrease Contractures: Aids in decreasing contractures, promoting better joint mobility and reducing muscle stiffness. This improvement is essential for maintaining range of motion and preventing deformities.
• Helps Improve Hip Alignment Through Vertical Loading Over the Hip Joint: Improves hip alignment through vertical loading, enhancing stability and reducing hip dislocation risks. This improvement is particularly beneficial for patients recovering from hip surgeries or injuries.