The Benefits of Standing

 

Man is a biped, and is meant to spend time upright in order for our bodies to function optimally. Although the human body is an amazing apparatus, it may weaken with a prolonged immobile state due to disability, and/or secondary complications that arise. Such problems may appear in the form of hip dislocation, muscle atrophy, decrease in circulation, bone density loss, skin ulcerations and frequent Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs).

 

The physical benefits of standing therapy with the TVChair are several-fold. Standing greatly improves the following body functions:

 

  • Respiration - lungs are able to expand normally

  • Circulation - reduces swelling of extremities and increases oxygen distribution

  • Bowel & Renal - alleviates typical urinary tract infections & constipation

 

Structurally, a regime of standing is vital to:

 

  • Maintain a symmetrical posture & balance

  • Prohibit decrease in bone density

  • Develop muscle elasticity & range of motion

  • Redistribute weight bearing - reducing hip dislocation, stress points & ulcerations

  • Slow the progression of scoliosis

  • Alleviate pain of prolonged sitting

 

 

 

 

With regular prescribed use of the TVChair, the body will breathe, digest, carry nutrients throughout the system, develop and strengthen -- all of which will greatly enhance cognitive functions and overall well being.

 

 

Mark P. Warner, PT, ATP, wrote an article appearing in ADVANCE NEWS MAGAZINE, entitled "Standing Tall": The Benefits of Standing Devices:

 

Pediatric physical therapy has been my career for almost fifteen years. Working in a variety of settings, including acute care, school-based therapy and outpatient rehabilitation, has allowed me to witness the benefits children with special needs gain from using assistive technology. During the past ten years, a considerable amount of my continuing education has focused on learning about assistive technology, and two years ago, I completed my RESNA certification to become an Assistive Technology Practitioner (ATP).
In my opinion, with the exception of a wheelchair, there is no other piece of assistive technology that is more beneficial to children and adults with special needs than a standing device. With the advances in technology and especially in research, assistive technology is being recognized as a necessity rather than a luxury. Children with special needs benefit in many ways from being placed in a standing device, even when a child can stand or walk on his own. Most children with special needs struggle to hold themselves up against gravity and usually do so with very poor posture. As a therapist, we are always trying to re-align asymmetrical posture because over the long–term, the child’s skeletal structure will begin to accommodate to the asymmetry, which may result in scoliosis and/or joint deformities. This may set a child up for multiple corrective surgical interventions.
The reason that a “standing program” works so well is really quite simple. As children develop, their bones grow quickly, and the soft tissue (muscles, tendon, ligaments, vessels and nerves) needs to “catch up” to the bone growth. Typically, this happens when children participate in normal play activities (running, jumping, riding bikes). Children with special needs usually do not have the ability to achieve a high enough activity level to stretch their muscles out. From about age six and up, children seem to grow in “chunks,” making it even more difficult for a child with special needs to get their muscle growth caught up to their bone growth. The result is a loss of range of motion (ROM) which negatively affects their functional motor skills.
A standing device allows children and adults with differing abilities to maintain a symmetrical standing posture for an extended period of time. This extended period of time allows the muscles to elongate and stretch, stimulating the new tissue growth needed to catch up to their bone growth. The other benefits are many and include: increased bone density, a more alert state, increased cardio-pulmonary output, and improved peer interaction. Children involved in standing programs have experienced other benefits such as regular bowel program, better head control, and more upper extremity function. It is especially important for adolescents to be involved in a standing program since their ambulation skills can begin to decrease as they get larger. At this age they are still growing and are at high risk for joint contractures.

 

Mark P. Warner, PT, ATP is a Level II Therapist, Assistive Technology Practitioner, AACBIS Certified Brain Injury Specialist and part of the Cincinnati Children's Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Team (CORT) in the Occupational/Physical Department of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center