Standing safely in the Tek RMD
When you have limb paralysis or weakness it is understandable to feel nervous when a product aims to stand you up. Understanding how the Tek RMD supports the user in standing or whilst moving up and down can act as reassurance and eliminate anxiety.
The Tek RMD is always delivered set up for the individual users stature. This is to ensure safe and effective operation. When we carry out a demonstration we explain that the Tek RMD we are trying with the user may not be a perfect “fit” for the occasion. The Tek RMD is adjustable - but cannot be adjusted quickly, so the product might not be ideally setup for the purpose of the demo.
We know it is going to be safe though. How can we say that?
Partly because we have checked certain things using a screening questionnaire to rule out certain contraindications such as weight or height too great, or significant joint contractures.
Once these are ruled out we know that the mechanical arrangement keeps the user safe when standing. The reason that standing is safe is based on simple mechanics. See the image below.
How the Tek RMD stands you safely.
Whenever we are standing upright our body weight is directed through our “base of support” - our feet. The Tek RMD allows the feet to be positioned appropriately. Then ideally our body weight needs to be in a balanced position over our feet.
So what stops us from falling? The Tek RMD has three pads that stop us from falling and keep us upright and balanced.
Thick, cushioned knee pads stop the shins moving forward. The hip pad or cushion spans the hip joint and acts with the knee pads to stop the knees flexing. Finally we have the chest pad which acts to stop the trunk moving forward (hips flexing).
A simple and flexible design.
Knee pads are generally positioned just below the patella and will be adjsusted to be in full contact with the shin surface so that pressure is evenly distributed. The hip pad should span the hip joint - not too high or too low. The chest pad should generally be positioned so that the joystick is at the level of the base of the sternum. Some clients pefer (or need) this to be a little higher or lower.
One client recently was overtightening the belts that keep the hip pad in place in fear of falling - the fact is that provided the position of the pad is OK there is no need to be concerned and overtightening should be avoided. The position of the three pads remains pretty much the same during the move from sitting to standing and for that reason should hold the user safely throughout this movement.
The image here shows the principle at work. The user’s feet are secure and cant move, the knee pads are correctly positioned and together with the hip and chest pads the user is stable. When core stability and trunk control is good as shown here, the joystick can be positioned a little lower than “standard”. This user can work “hands free” which contributes greatly to independence.
Learn more about the Tek RMD and UK residents can request a demonstration via this link