About efi

efi Sports Medicine Presents Ground-Breaking Rehabilitation Study At American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting

02/03/06

SAN DIEGO, CA – Feb. 3, 2006 – efi Sports Medicine®, the leader in functional exercise equipment for athletic training and physical therapy markets, announced results of a new rehabilitation study using the Total Gym®, efi Sports Medicine’s flagship sliding incline rehabilitation apparatus, at the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Combined Sections Meeting.  As a result of the study, conducted by researchers at San Diego State University (SDSU) and the Medical University of Ohio, rehab specialists now have an accurate tool to more effectively measure partial weight bearing status for patients recovering from injuries to the hip, ankle or knee. 

In the past, rehab specialists had to conduct manual muscle tests to determine strength and functional performance in a patient’s lower extremities (e.g., hip, knee, foot, ankle) to bear full weight without aid.  However, that was not an accurate measure.  Lead investigator of the study Dan Cipriani, Ph.D., P.T., professor at SDSU, saw the need for accurate partial weight bearing (PWB) tests to help track patient progress and helped develop a tool to measure leg strength using exercise repetition. 

30 patients were recruited from orthopaedic surgery clinics and physical therapy clinics.  All patients were recovering from an injury and/or surgery to the ankle, knee or hip and all were tested using the PWB tests – repetitions of one-legged squat on the Total Gym, their maximum comfortable walking speed and their maximum comfortable ability to ascend and descend stairs.

“With the help of the Total Gym’s incline glideboard, designed to evenly distribute weight in both legs, investigators were able to count the number of times patients performed a specific exercise at a resistance much less than that of body weight,” said Cipriani.  “By doing so, investigators could identify areas of weakness by counting the number of repetitions patients could perform on one leg versus another.”

Researchers found a significant connection between a patient’s performance on the Total Gym squat test and that person’s ability to comfortably walk or climb stairs.  After three to four weeks of additional rehab, patients returned for follow-up testing and all demonstrated improvement in their stair climbing ability and walking speed. 

“This is the first time the Total Gym was used in a testing capacity to help accurately measure repetitions of a given exercise,” said Cipriani.  “No longer is the Total Gym solely an exercise apparatus for rehab patients, but is also now a valid tool to measure patients’ progress toward weight bearing status.  The subjects’ rate of improvement provides evidence that the PWB tests on the Total Gym were responsive to the positive changes in their progress.”  

Cipriani will present results of the study, as well as a Total Gym demonstration, on Friday, February 3 from 4:15-5:30 p.m. at the efi Sports Medicine booth #315.  Refreshments will be provided.
 Over 4,500 physical therapists, athletic trainers and rehabilitation specialists are registered to attend the three day APTA Combined Sessions show February 2-4 at the San Diego Convention Center.

About efi Sports Medicine 
After more than a quarter century at the forefront of innovation in athletic training, physical therapy and home fitness, efi Sports Medicine has become the leading manufacturer of functional rehabilitation and conditioning equipment.  efi's ground-breaking integration of the proven benefits of gravity resistance and functional training on a single exercise apparatus facilitates shorter, more efficient workouts that produce superior results.  Today, efi provides a wide array of functional equipment to more than 14,000 clinics, schools, hospitals, athletic training centers and health clubs.  Visit efi on the Web at www.efisportsmedicine.com or call for more information at 800.525.6901.

###


Download PDF