The Medical Community and Its Role With Equip Products
At Equip Products, our mission to empower adaptive athletes is deeply rooted in the medical community, particularly in the field of rehabilitation and physical therapy. Our journey has been shaped by collaborations with leading institutions, professionals, and patients.
We work frequently with patients from spinal cord hospitals like Craig Hospital and innovative practitioners like Jenna Muri-Rosenthal of Fit To Function Recovery, and the dedicated team at Adaptive Training Academy, led by Alec Zirkenbach. We’ve also benefited immensely from the expertise of Dr. Amy West, a physiatrist in Lake Success, New York, and countless other healthcare providers.
These partnerships have not only informed our product development but have also reinforced our commitment to creating tools that support recovery and performance in adaptive fitness. Today, we’re diving into the critical role physical therapy plays in this space and how Equip Products’ innovative solutions, such as our Leg and Body Straps, Multi Ropes™, and LapMat's™, are transforming rehab and fitness for disabled athletes.
The Intersection of Physical Therapy and Adaptive Fitness
Physical therapy is the cornerstone of rehabilitation, focusing on restoring function, reducing pain, and improving quality of life for individuals with disabilities. When integrated with adaptive fitness, it becomes a powerful tool for long-term health and performance. We spoke with Jenna Muri-Rosenthal, a physical therapist and founder of Fit To Function Recovery, to gain expert insights on this synergy.
“Adaptive fitness is not just about exercise; it’s about functional movement that translates to daily life,” Jenna explains. “Physical therapists play a crucial role in designing individualized programs that address specific impairments while leveraging the motivational aspect of fitness. Tools like Equip Products’ Leg and Body Straps are game-changers because they provide the stability and security needed for safe, effective workouts, especially for patients with spinal cord injuries or mobility challenges.”
How Equip Products Supports Recovery and Performance
Our product development process is a testament to the collaborative spirit of the medical community. Much of what we create starts with a problem identified by physical therapists, doctors, or caregivers. For instance, the LapMat™ was born from a need to protect the legs of para athletes during training or therapy. This product, patented under US D835,428 S, is a staple in rehab settings and adaptive gyms worldwide.
“The iterative process we undergo with professionals like those at Craig Hospital and Adaptive Training Academy is rigorous,” says Mark S. Harris, founder of Equip Products. “It can take months, even years, to perfect a product. But the result is gear that meets the highest standards of safety and efficacy, trusted by doctors, physical therapists, and athletes alike.”
Consider the LapSecure Mat™, which allows for a comfortable cushion on the legs of seated patients during light rehab, enabling therapists to focus on patient progress rather than risking additional injury during training sessions. Or the Left Neglect Straps, for the condition known as Left Neglect, also called hemispatial neglect or unilateral neglect — it is a neurological condition in which a person is unaware of, or fails to respond to, stimuli on one side of their body or environment, typically the left side.
These simple red straps go a long way to help patients recognize something their brain literally cannot see, in layman's terms.
Expert Perspectives on Integration
Alec Zirkenbach, founder of Adaptive Training Academy, echoes the importance of this integration. “Physical therapists bring the science, and adaptive fitness brings the soul." When you combine the two with the right equipment, you get transformative results. Equip Products’ Multi Ropes™ have been instrumental in their training programs, allowing athletes to perform exercises they couldn’t otherwise attempt safely.
Dr. Amy West, a physiatrist with extensive experience in adaptive sports, has in effect stated - The challenge in rehab is often finding equipment that adapts to the patient, not the other way around. Equip Products’ innovative designs, like the H-Bracket, make it possible to train new wheelchair patients to navigate a curb during the early part of using a wheelchair.
Gratitude and Future Directions
We are eternally grateful for the input and suggestions from these professionals, as well as from the athletes and customers who often work within the medical community. Their insights drive our mission to create products that not only support the medical community and physical therapy but also elevate adaptive fitness to new heights.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to continue this collaboration, working with so many medical professionals, to further bridge the gap between physical therapy and adaptive fitness.