Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital Bradford, MA, is the first U.S. rehabilitation hospital to offer patients the Tibion Bionic Leg, a sophisticated computerized device that provides the assistance and resistance that stroke survivors require to re-learn how to stand up, walk and climb stairs without the use of a walker, cane or even a stair railing.
In this video, neurologist Joan Breen, MD, neurologist and leader of Whittier’s stroke rehabilitation program, therapist Sandy Kiley and their patient explain from their individual perspectives why the Tibion Bionic Leg is making a difference.
“We’re very enthusiastic about being the first rehabilitation hospital in the nation to offer this kind of robotic therapy to our patients,” said Dr. Breen.
“While we’ve just initiated therapy with a limited number of outpatients, we see the potential to apply the Bionic Leg to our inpatient population as well,” she said. “Perhaps we can help them avoid the troublesome stroke gait that is very physically exhausting, and places them at increased risk of falls and fractured hips.”
One of the first Whittier patients to benefit from Bionic Leg therapy is a 62 man from Georgetown, MA. He had a stroke a year ago, and says his doctors told him he’d never walk again. After just four one-hour sessions with Whittier’s Bionic Leg, he reports he’s much more mobile.
“I can now walk 30 feet without a cane, I can climb stairs with both legs, I can do the dishes – I can take out the garbage, just not drag the cans to the curb,” he reports. “I’m very impressed.”