An innovative balance assessment and treatment tool that combines a popular video game balance board with cutting-edge diagnostics and treatments is now available for patients at Riverside Tappahannock Physical Therapy.
The HUMAC Balance System, designed by CSMi, couples a popular gaming balance board with company software to give patients a balance assessment. Craig Secor, a Riverside Tappahannock Hospital physical therapist, called the versatile tool helpful for many different types of patients.
This includes the young and active, such as athletes recovering from injuries through physical therapy, older adult patients who have had joint replacements, or people suffering from vestibular or other balance- and motion-related issues.
"I like its versatility between patient populations," Secor said. "You can use it on athletes, and make things really hard, or your 80-year-old patient who has had multiple falls over the past few months."
The HUMAC Balance System is able to treat patients with a number of needs, whether it's balance, vestibular and neurological disorders, or recovery from joint replacement or other Orthopedicspedic surgeries, or concussions.
"It's just a great balance tool for anyone," Secor said. "I can show you how much weight you're putting on one leg. It's opened the door as far as balance assessment and weight-bearing treatment."
One of the unique features of the assessment tool is a meter that shows weigh shifts. For example, putting more weight on one leg over the other.
"They can visually see themselves do that," Secor said. "We used to just use mirrors, but that's not as visually beneficial. You can have them actually feel what 50 percent weight bearing means. Or 25 percent. You can actually put them on there and have them feel what 25 percent feels like."
Patient profiles that are individualized or customized are set up on the computer to track progress and results.
"We can test a patient, treat them and reassess them a few weeks later," Secor said.
An innovative balance assessment and treatment tool that combines a popular video game balance board with cutting-edge diagnostics and treatments is now available for patients at the Riverside Tappahannock Physical Therapy Department.
The HUMAC Balance System, designed by CSMi, couples a popular gaming balance board with company software to give patients a balance assessment. Craig Secor, a Riverside Tappahannock Hospital physical therapist, called the versatile tool helpful for many different types of patients.
This includes the young and active, such as athletes recovering from injuries through physical therapy, older adult patients who have had joint replacements, or people suffering from vestibular or other balance- and motion-related issues.
"I like its versatility between patient populations," Secor said. "You can use it on athletes, and make things really hard, or your 80-year-old patient who has had multiple falls over the past few months."
The HUMAC Balance System is able to treat patients with a number of needs, whether it's balance, vestibular and neurological disorders, or recovery from joint replacement or other Orthopedicspedic surgeries, or concussions.
"It's just a great balance tool for anyone," Secor said. "I can show you how much weight you're putting on one leg. It's opened the door as far as balance assessment and weight-bearing treatment."
One of the unique features of the assessment tool is a meter that shows weigh shifts. For example, putting more weight on one leg over the other.
"They can visually see themselves do that," Secor said. "We used to just use mirrors, but that's not as visually beneficial. You can have them actually feel what 50 percent weight bearing means. Or 25 percent. You can actually put them on there and have them feel what 25 percent feels like."
Patient profiles that are individualized or customized are set up on the computer to track progress and results.
"We can test a patient, treat them and reassess them a few weeks later," Secor said.
For more information about the HUMAC Balance System, or to set up an assessment, contact the Riverside Tappahannock Physical Therapy Department at 804-443-6090.?