Technology Series
Bright Ideas
ATPs & Clinicians Name Their Assistive Technology Favorites in Our 6th Annual Best Picks Contest
- By Laurie Watanabe
- Jul 01, 2016
For the sixth straight year, we asked seating & wheeled mobility professionals for their “go-to” solutions
in complex rehab technology.
The Best Picks celebration has always been a little free-wheeling, no pun intended. We don’t provide a
ballot pre-populated with manufacturer names and products; this isn’t a multiple-choice exercise. Instead,
ATPs and clinicians organically choose products they want to mention. Best Picks, while not all inclusive,
do offer candid insight into the product traits and qualities treasured by today’s professionals.
The success of each year’s Best Picks project rests entirely on the ATPs and clinicians willing to offer
their opinions on the industry’s technology… on their own time and without compensation. Some Best Picks come from ATPs and clinicians who work for manufacturers — and sometimes, those professionals
actually nominate products developed and sold by competitors.
We’re grateful to every ATP/clinician who devotes time to our annual project, and we’re especially
sensitive to those who go out on a limb to point out a competing product. Where you don’t see a name
attached to a Best Pick, we’ve kept that person’s identity confidential. But be assured that they are
industry professionals with clinical and/or ATP credentials, and that they, like all our participants, must
truly have consumers’ best interests in their hearts.
F3 Power Wheelchair Base
It just works!
— Jeff Cupps, ATP, Numotion
Permobil
(800) 736-0925
permobil.com
Focus CR
Secure and smart tilt: These features make uncontrolled tilting no longer an issue. I used to hang onto wheelchair push handles to make sure that when tilt was activated, the seated individual would not be “dropped” or jolted into tilt. Very scary when that happens!
Ki Mobility
(715) 254-0991
kimobility.com
MX2 Smart Drive Power Assist
Smart Drive is my Best Pick for
power assist because of ease
of use for my clients. It is the
lightest weight and most portable
power-assist device that I have
seen. It can be used wherever the
client goes without any restrictions.
It does not add any weight to the
client’s wheelchair and can be used
when needed and not used when
not needed. It is so versatile and
easy to use for the client as well. It
is very intuitive and I think every
active manual wheelchair user
should have one!
— Erica Walling, PT, Brooks Rehab
Max Mobility
(800) 637-2980
max-mobility.com
Little Wave Flip
A great transition for the kiddos and their parents who still want a
stroller concept, but have outgrown the appropriateness of a rehab
stroller. Can put any seating on it, and love the way it folds!
— Anne Kieschnik, ATP, CRTS, Numotion
Ki Mobility
(715) 254-0991
kimobility.com
Acta-Relief Backrest
The product that has
most impressed me this
year is the Acta-Relief
back from the Comfort
Company. It seems
that I have struggled,
throughout my 30-year
career as an ATP, to find
a back that accommodates
a kyphotic posture
well, and allows provision
of lateral supports.
This back allows both,
and provides comfort and support for this population. I have had
great success with it.
— Mala Aaronson, OTR, ATP, CRTS, National Seating & Mobility
Comfort Company
(800) 564-9248
comfortcompany.com
Jazzy Air
The Pride Mobility model Jazzy Air is a non-coded motorized wheelchair
that comes standard
with a power seat elevator
that adjusts up 10" in 16
seconds. With the Active-Trac suspension providing
stability, it will drive 3.5
mph when elevated. Being
able to drive and use the
power wheelchair in an
elevated position raises the
user’s eye level, helping
with many social and environmental
tasks.
— Rick Graver, ATP,
Medtech Services Inc.
Pride Mobility Products
(800) 800-8586
pridemobility.com
Titan Power Chair
The Titan power chair is the ideal solution for providers facing
the challenges of Medicare
competitive bidding. Helping
to maximize profits, the chair is
attractively priced and coded
with Medicare as K0816, K0821,
K0822 and K0823. The K0821
codes means the Titan can be
disassembled, without tools,
so that no single component
weighs more than 55 lbs.
Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare
(877) 224-0946
drivemedical.com/devilbiss
Focus CR Power Tilt System
So many other power tilt systems reduce the range of tilt when
they’re added to manual wheelchairs. The Focus CR’s power tilt
system preserves the entire range of tilt for maximum clinical
efficacy.
Ki Mobility
(715) 254-0991
kimobility.com
Acta-Back
I like the Acta-Back for
adults and pediatric
clients who have some
kyphosis/lordosis,
but are not ready (or
cannot get funding ) for
custom seating. It also
allows for easy add on
of trunk laterals.
— Matt Wattenbarger, PT/ATP, Numotion
Comfort Company
(800) 564-9248
comfortcompany.com
Omnilink
The Omnilink is hands down the most durable, secure and stable
lateral system which offers what seems like unlimited combinations
of positioning. Finally, a lateral system which can accommodate
for width, height, adjustability, change in patient position, address
pressure relief at the trunk and stay in place when mounted. I
cannot emphasize this enough. As a therapist assistant, I see clients
with tone, both hypertonicity which has been known for bending,
breaking and mispositioning laterals in the past, as well as patients
who are hypotonic and cannot support their own torso, thus
requiring aggressive support to maintain position.
The Omnilink
applies to any type of client. I have yet to see a patient who is in need
of lateral support who does not benefit from the Omnilink.
The Omnilink’s range is unparalleled. A single Omnilink can
accommodate for changes in weight, season, clothing, client progression,
you name it. It only came out a couple of months ago, but
already I can tell, I’m going to be saving my clients a lot in equipment
costs with the Omnilink. As a physical therapy assistant, I spend the
majority of my time troubleshooting and fixing seating systems and/or referring the patient back to the PT for equipment recommendation.
The Omnilink has found a solution for age-old stabilization
problems and given the world of wheelchair seating a much-awaited
industry leader in a lateral system.
— Cathy Houston, PTA, Precision Seating Solutions LLC & Memorial Health System
Adaptive Engineering Lab (AEL)
(866) 656-1486
AELseating.com
Mo-Vis Joysticks
The Mo-Vis line of joysticks offers compact, flexible functionality. The
Multi Joystick can be used in traditional positions or elsewhere, such
as the chin, finger or lip. The Micro Joystick requires just 10 grams
of force to operate due to extraordinary sensitivity. The All-Round
model is compact and
has two jack inputs for
switches. The versatility
of the Mo-Vis line gives
ATPs and clinicians a
world of options.
Stealth Products
(800) 965-9229
stealthproducts.com
Solara 3G
You can do the “tape”
test, where you place tape
on the person’s back at
the level of the top of the
back support. Then when
placing this backrest angle
into recline, the tape
remains visible on the
seated individual’s back.
This indicates that the
Solara 3G’s backrest angle
and backrest contribute
to the reduction of shear and friction. When seated in other similar
manual wheelchairs, the backrest angle reclines/opens, and accommodation
is not made during this movement. This results in the individual
and the backrest no longer supported, with the head often coming off
the backrest and the lateral thoracic pads becoming “earmuffs.”
Invacare Corp.
(800) 333-6900
invacare.com
M300 Corpus HD
This heavy-duty power wheelchair [was] designed specifically for
users up to 450 lbs. The M300 base is highly maneuverable and
has been both extended and widened for the HD model, while
the suspension has been strengthened for an overall more stable
platform.
Permobil
(800) 736-0925
permobil.com
Zing MPS
This stander is great with
the early intervention
population. It is easy to put
the child into it in supine
and then in one movement,
without having to
move hardware, tray, etc.,
you can go into prone. This
makes it easier to place the
child into the stander. Also, it is the only stander this small that has
the ability to abduct each hip up to 30°. As hip abduction has been
shown to be protective for hip dislocation risk, this is a real plus!
—
Lauren E. Rosen, PT, MPT, MSMS, ATP/SMS,
St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital
EasyStand
(800) 342-8968
easystand.com
Squiggles Seating + Kimba Base
Love the
positioning it
provides for our
little ones. It
grows, it tilts and
reclines, it’s crash tested, and most importantly it is therapist and
parent liked and approved!
— Anne Kieschnik, ATP, CRTS, Numotion
Ottobock
(800) 328-4058
ottobockus.com
Tarta Backrest
What can I say — this is
pure genius. Adjustable.
Customization to the max.
From the custom graphics to
the deep contour (great shape
for trunk/thoracic support) and
breathability, this is functional
and beautiful.
Stealth Products
(800) 965-9229
stealthproducts.com
Evolution Cushion
When all else fails and we trial the Evolution cushion, it almost always
comes up big. A foam and air cushion, the Evolution does not require
a hand pump because it fills itself when the valve is opened and the
foam expands. Sit on it, open
the valve, let out air, close the
valve and you have a “custom
contoured” seat cushion that is
very lightweight. Excellent for
use on an ultralight chair when
trying to reduce as much weight
as possible.
— Chuck Hepler, ATP, Numotion
VARILITE
(800) 827-4548
varilite.com
Dual-Pro Head Array
Finally, a proportional head array with the ability to program different
forces for each pad. It’s possible to use the back pad as a headrest,
without having to power off the device… outstanding flexibility and
application options.
— Ian Kingscote, ATP, Numotion
Switch-It
(800) 376-9888
switchit-inc.com
Alternative Electronics
Great representation from
customer service, products
work, and they are flexible
with improvements and
customizations.
— Jeff Cupps, ATP, Numotion
Switch-It
(800) 376-9888
switchit-inc.com
iLevel + Q6 Edge 2.0
iLevel is very functional,
and the clients
love it. Great product
support from rep and
manufacturer.
— Jeff Cupps, ATP,
Numotion
Quantum Rehab
(800) 800-8586
quantumrehab.com
Embrace
ATI
I like the Embrace
ATI to accommodate
mild/moderate
obliquities that can
be adjusted, but will
stay in the desired position. I also like the simple option of covers.
— Matt Wattenbarger, PT/ATP, Numotion
Comfort Company
(800) 564-9248
comfortcompany.com
PivotFit
I love the Bodypoint PivotFit harness because it gives my
cerebral palsy clients a good amount of upper-body support
and needed movement all at the same time. It is easy to put
on and take off when going in and out of the chair, as well as
when it needs to be completely removed for washing. It is a
very well-designed product that provides flexible support
and comfort.
— Michelle Frank, ATP, Ability Evolution
Bodypoint
(800) 547-5716
bodypoint.com
SuperStand
Now you can use a stander for a
person with knee flexion contractures
while preserving hip range of
motion. The new knee contracture
brackets from Prime Engineering
can be added to any SuperStand
stander. Traditional sit-to-stand
devices link the amount of hip and
knee flexion so that you cannot
bend one joint without bending the
other. This new system allows for full
adjustments on all planes and can
accommodate severe asymmetries.
— Ginny Paleg, PT, DScPT
Prime Engineering
(800) 827-8263
primeengineering.com
Java Cushion
We’ve been seeing
a lot of success
with this cushion
for users of all sorts of diagnoses, such as spinal cord injury, multiple
sclerosis and even Alzheimer’s. It does a wonderful job of protecting
the skin by offloading bony prominences and improving air circulation,
and it promotes upright sitting by preventing posterior pelvic
tilt. For fans of Ride custom seating, this is the off-the-shelf cushion
we’ve been waiting for!
— Desmond Wiles, ATP/SMS, Numotion
Ride Designs
(866) 781-1633
ridedesigns.com/java-cushion
Acta-Embrace Backrest
For pediatric back
positioning, I haven’t
found anything that
beats the Embrace back.
The moldable bars in the
backrest surface meet
needs pre- and postspinal
surgery, as do the
ultra-adjustable/moldable
lateral thoracic (and
hip, if desired) support
pads. They can be configured
to even avoid arm
interference when a child needs to self propel, and the upgraded
headrest, swing-away lateral support hardware and backcane
mounting hardware make it even more of a winner.
— Ian Kingscote, ATP, Numotion
Comfort Company
(800) 564-9248
comfortcompany.com
Evoflex Pelvic Stabilizer
For pediatric or adult, this extra-strong, padded seat belt is an
integral part of my tool kit in helping me manage those high tone
patterns and keeping hips in place.
— Ian Kingscote, ATP, Numotion
Bodypoint
(800) 547-5716
bodypoint.com
KidWalk
For more upright
gait, [I use] KidWalk
and appreciate the
dynamic movement in
all the planes of motion.
Recently, [I] had some
children with inseams
that were 6” and less.
KidWalk was just too
high. [I] contacted Prime
Engineering, and they
told me about their extra-small early-intervention model. Now I have
all the features I love, for my itty-bitty clients.
— Wendy Altizer, PT, ATP, Milestones Physical Therapy
Prime Engineering
(800) 827-8263
primeengineering.com
This article originally appeared in the July 2016 issue of Mobility Management.