Standing Frame

I received the article below earlier this morning. It will educate you on why standing is so important. I use a standing frame myself. You will find a link near the bottom of the right-hand column of this blog . It is a wonderful product .

Standing Frame Prescribed for Home Can Improve Long-Term Health

by Jackie Kaufenberg

Many spinal cord injury rehab professionals are aware of the secondary complications associated with prolonged immobility of people with a spinal cord injury (SCI). Rehab facilities that incorporate standing/weight bearing as a part of their SCI client’s standing program see the effects of secondary complications minimized. To achieve the greatest possible medical benefits, a person with SCI should start standing as soon as their PT or doctor determines it is medically safe.
Medical professionals have prescribed standing programs for these health benefits:
1. Increase range of motion and help prevent ankle, knees, and hip contractures
2. Improve circulation as it relates to orthostatic hypotension
3. Decrease abnormal muscle tone and reduce spasticity
4. Maintain bone density and prevent or stabilize osteoporosis and resultant hypercalciuria
5. Improve renal function, drainage of the urinary tract, and reduce urinary calculi
6. Reduce the risk of pressure ulcers and skin breakdown through changing positions
7. Improve bowel function by increasing gastrointestinal activity/motility using gravity as an assist, thus reducing the risk of constipation
8. Facilitate respiration by reducing respiratory infections and increasing oxygen intake by allowing lungs to completely expand
9. Build cardiovascular endurance and reduce swelling and pooling of the blood in the lower extremities
10. Provide a positive psychological impact and improve self-esteem
It is very common for rehab clinicians to incorporate standing as an intricate part of their client’s initial rehab program. However, a full standing program shouldn’t just be limited to a client’s initial spinal injury rehab sessions. In order to experience the long-term medical benefits of standing, a standing frame should also be prescribed for home use upon discharge. By prescribing a standing frame for home use, the person with SCI will be able to stand on a daily basis (or as often as prescribed). For instance, they could stand while checking their email, before dinner each day, or in the evening while watching a movie with their family.
Funding for Standing Frames
When a therapist prescribes a stander soon after injury (with their client’s initial equipment purchase, e.g. wheelchair, commode), their client may also have a better chance of obtaining funding for the standing frame through their medical insurance. Often, insurance companies are more likely to cover the stander or home medical equipment when it is included with the initial order for a wheelchair and other necessary rehab equipment. If you need assistance with the funding process for a standing device, there are resources on www.easystand.com/funding that can help.
Want to dig deeper into the medical benefits of standing?
Over 100 research study abstracts related to the benefits of standing can be found on www.easystand.com/research. You can search by author, title, diagnosis (e.g. all studies that pertain to SCI), and the benefit that the research cites. You can also view a free one hour webinar with Ginny Paleg, DScPT, MS, PT, called Supported Standing: Integrating Evidence into Practice on www.easystand.com/ginny
Did your therapist prescribe a stander for you to use at home? Do you think that standing has improved your health or quality of life?