What is a Gait Trainer?

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Answer

Gait trainers are primarily used with children, but they can be used with a variety of ages.  Gait trainers support a client in a standing position both to augment mobility and to provide dynamic weight-bearing.  Gait trainers sometimes are considered a hybrid type of walker that just adds additional support.  However our goals with a gait trainer can be very different when compared to a walker.

A walker is primarily designed to help a client get from point A to point B.  Gait trainers are often used in addition to other mobility devices to meet specific therapy goals, and to develop ambulation skills.  There are a lot of studies out there that support the use of weight-bearing with our clients as there are many advantages, from increased bone density, muscle strength, and bowel and bladder control.  More recent research has shown that simply staying in a static stander, although helpful, is not nearly as efficient as some type of dynamic weight-bearing.