Exploring The Benefits of Rehab Stairs in Physical Therapy

Suppose you have a loved one who has experienced an accident resulting in an injury or a long-term illness that affects your ability to walk. In that case, Rehabilitation Stairs are one of the modalities used to help improve that person’s condition over time. Rehab stairs are a common product used by physiotherapists in facilities across Australia, an approach specially designed to assist patients during their rehabilitation process.

Rehab stairs have numerous psychological and physical benefits. As a functional exercise designed to mimic daily life activities, these stairs make it easier to adapt to and cope with environments encountered in everyday living.  Therapists can carefully assess each person’s capabilities and limitations in a safe, controlled situation. 

So, what are the benefits of physical therapy stairs for physical therapy, and how can they boost confidence for patients and healthcare professionals? This article will explore how rehabilitation stairs, including the dynamic physical therapy stair trainer, promote independence and patient success. 

What Are Rehab Stairs?

Rehabilitation stairs are used in hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, and private homes across Australia to improve quality of life. A versatile tool for occupational therapists, rehab stairs are a staple in many therapy programs. Incorporated into physical therapy sessions, exercise with these stairs can easily be tailored to the needs of patients.

Unlike ordinary stairs around the home, rehabilitation stairs are used for regaining balance, endurance, agility, and strength and reaching a successful level of mobility. 

They come in various configurations with and without height-adjustable handrails on either side. They can be straight or corner styles with step heights varied on either side so patients can feel comfortable facing the challenges of learning or adjusting their coordination. 

This process of physical therapy can address and transform the lives of individuals with chronic medical conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, or the aftermath of a stroke or post-surgery. Patients who have experienced a recent hip, knee or ankle surgery can also benefit greatly from using rehabilitation stairs. 

Benefits of Using The Dynamic Stair Trainer in Physical Therapy

Using rehab stairs in physical therapy programs leads to higher confidence and emotional well-being, but what are the patient benefits? With adjustable bars, slopes, stairs, and gait analysis, physical therapy products such as the Dynamic Stair Trainer can train and monitor all patient achievements. These stairs take rehabilitation to a new level

Using rehab stairs in physical therapy programs promotes confidence. The dynamic physical therapy stair trainer aids tailored exercises, enhancing muscle strength and coordination for daily activities.

Let’s take a look at ten ways rehab stairs can benefit patients: 

1. Improve mobility: Rehab stairs provide a controlled, safe environment where patients can use therapy sessions to improve their ability. Independence can be gained by ascending and descending stairs.

2. Strength training: Stair training stimulates the lower limb muscles, including the glutes, hamstrings, calves, and quadriceps. This can build strength and endurance, which is essential to recovery.

3. Balance & coordination:  Rehab stairs have different heights, and practising on these stairs boosts neuromuscular control, physical function, balance, and coordination.

4. Variety and Challenge: The Dynamic Stair trainer allows practising a variety of rehabilitation activities in one device, such as:

• Walking between parallel bars on a horizontal surface
• Walking between parallel bars on a sloped surface
• Climbing or descending stairs
• Climbing only
• Descending only

5. Functional training: As climbing stairs is part of everyday activities such as going to work, making sure that a patient can comfortably navigate stairs allows for an easier transition back to daily life or physical activity.

6. Customisation: Physiotherapists can easily tailor their treatment plans to patients’ conditions and needs and adapt to their progress. Slowly increasing the rehab stair’s height or removing extra handrails as a challenge can help the patient improve.

6. Cardiovascular conditioning: A great workout for the heart, rehabilitation stair exercises increase physical abilities such as heart rate and fitness levels. This can be useful for those recovering from heart conditions such as a heart attack.

7. Pain management: Controlled and short stair exercises can alleviate pain in conditions such as osteoarthritis, enhancing strength and joint function.

8. Assessment tool: Physical therapists can use Rehab stairs as an initial patient assessment tool, successfully helping to evaluate and observe a patient’s progress.

The DST Chart of Progress can accurately monitor the rate of the patient’s progress (a graph with the exercise dates on the X axis and the height of the steps on the Y axis dramatically presents the patient’s progress during rehabilitation).

How Rehab Stairs Support Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s limits muscle control and physical function, so individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease can use rehab stairs to improve balance, coordination, and lower strength over time.

Physical therapists use repetitive movement patterns, giving back essential life skills for daily activities without relying on mobility aids.

What Is The Rehabilitation Process?

Many parts make up the rehabilitation process, each step crucial in confidently returning to daily activities. Following the steps below, patients can see an adjustment in physical abilities and psychological well-being. 

1. Assessing the patient. Often led by a physiotherapist, a medical team looks at the patient’s condition, identifying areas that require attention. This assessment can include physical capabilities, cognitive functioning and emotional well-being to create a plan for treatments moving forward.

2. Setting goals. Therapists and patients will collaborate to set realistic and achievable goals. Showing a roadmap will encourage patients to participate, providing positivity and motivation.

3. Intervention selection. Interventions are chosen based on initial goals that have been set and the patient’s functional abilities. This can cover training exercises, balance drills, or rehabilitation stairs.

4. Guiding patients through exercises. Therapists gently guide patients along with adaptive equipment, provide regular feedback, adapt interventions as needed, and continuously monitor patients based on their responses.

5. Evaluating all processes. Assessments are conducted to measure progress, determining how effective interventions have been. This part of the rehabilitation process is most important as therapists ensure patients are on the right track for treatment and recovery.

Rehabilitation Approaches

Medical professionals focus on physical therapy sessions or an exercise program designed to build or preserve behavioural, physical, physiological, and social functional abilities and prevent complications that can lead to a worsening disability.

When it comes to a successful recovery pathway, there are many ways for physical therapists to approach this, and the patient’s active participation helps rehabilitation. Every patient has specific needs, and professionals will often explore what works for them, factoring in their age, health status, and goals for increased mobility.

1. Rest, Recovery, and Rehabilitation (3 R’s) Approach. 

Rest phase. Rest means giving the body time to heal and recover from injury. There is a focus on reducing pain and inflammation, protecting the area, and promoting a natural healing process.

Recovery phase. As the body is healing, therapists implement a recovering phase plan that involves restoring motor function and mobility. This could include pain management, range of motion exercises, or physiotherapy to prevent stiff joints. This phase should involve gentle, non- or low-weight-bearing exercises.

Rehabilitation phase. Compared to the recovery phase, rehabilitation focuses on exercises that bring back strength, function, and flexibility. Physical therapists will design a rehabilitation program tailored to a patient’s condition, covering stretches, exercises, and functional activities. During this phase, more strenuous exercises can be included. 

2. Gait Training Approach.

The gait training approach focuses on supporting patients to walk, maintain a functional gait pattern, and return to their normal activities. Often, it is used for those with lower limb injuries, surgeries, or neurological conditions that impact mobility.

Involving a progression of exercises, gait training addresses concerns such as strength, balance, coordination, and walking mechanics. Physical therapists may recommend techniques like treadmill training and assistive devices such as walkers for support.

The goal of gait training is to assist patients in regaining safe walking patterns, improving mobility and independence, and reducing the risk of falls.

3. High-Intensity Training Approach.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) combines short yet intense exercise bursts and recovery periods. Although this training is commonly used for fitness, it can be excellent for therapeutic exercises. 

HIIT improves cardiovascular health, endurance, and muscle strength. This program is beneficial if a patient wants to regain fitness level after surgery. Consider using this technique for those looking to build their cardiovascular strength after bed rest or forced inactivity.

HIIT can be adapted to a patient’s condition. If these exercises are combined with periods of rest and low-intensity workouts, these intervals can be adjusted to slowly improve condition and fitness level.

Types of Exercises Used in Rehabilitation

When it comes to recovery therapies and the choice of exercises, occupational therapists need to consider patient limitations, goals, and individual circumstances need to be considered.

Step-ups. This is a standard start for patients: placing one foot on the step, taking a second step, and then stepping back down. As a repetitive motion, this improves leg strength and balance.

Side steps. Stepping sideways can improve a patient’s balance and lateral movement, which is often beneficial for those who have had knee or hip surgery.

Calf raises. Patients stand on the edge of a step, performing calf raises while holding a handrail for added support. This strengthens calf muscles over time, which is important for those who have suffered a break and were not allowed to bear weight on their leg.

Single-leg balance. Standing on one leg and focusing on staying upright and still, patients can improve stability and balance if they have an injured leg.

Stair climbing. If a patient is well on the road to recovery, they can practise ascending and descending the rehab stairs. This range of motion can be completed at various heights.

Step-ups with resistance. A physiotherapist can add ankle weights or resistance bands. Increasing the exercise intensity can promote muscle strength.

Stair drills. For patients further down the line of therapy, these stair drill exercises improve functional movements and athletic performance.

Keeping these exercise methods in mind, it’s critical to always approach these slowly, taking into account an initial assessment. To some patients, starting too high on the stairs can result in injury or setbacks, whereas too low may not provide the stimulation needed for improvement.

Treat and Care With Rehabilitation Equipment Suppliers

At Access Health, you and your patient can access life-changing equipment and strategies to rehabilitate, support, and provide adequate care to those recovering from injury or illness. Recovery is a long process, and we have what every patient needs to return to an independent lifestyle. Whether you’re a team of occupational therapists or an individual looking for rehab equipment, physiotherapy equipment, or daily living mobility aides for home treatment and care, our team has what you need to move forward on the road to recovery. Contact us today to receive targeted support