Intensive Physical Therapy Program
Suit Therapy
NeuroTherapeutics is proud to provide an intensive physical therapy program using the Therasuittm
and the Universal Exercise Unit. Our clinic has been providing suit therapy since 2001 and was the first facility in
the Northwest to offer this innovative and effective approach to treating children with Cerebral Palsy and other
developmental disabilities.
Our Physical Therapists have been trained in the Therasuit Method directly by Polish Physical Therapist
Izabela Koscielny, director of Therasuit LLC and Editor-in-Chief of Cerebral Palsy magazine.
- What is Intensive Physical Therapy?
- Intense physical therapy sessions of 3 hours a day for 5 days a week for 3 weeks. Children receive 45 hours of
physical therapy which is nearly equivalent to one year of weekly therapy.
- Intensive physical therapy sessions use specialized equipment, including the Therasuit and Universal Unit.
What is the Therasuit / Suit Therapy?
The Therasuit is a soft dynamic trunk and leg orthosis.
The suit consists of a small jacket, shorts, knee pads, and shoes. Elastic bands are then used to attach the
pieces of the suit together.
The suit is used to help align the child's body to as close to normal as possible. This will allow for more
efficient use of the muscles and for re-training proper muscle memory.
The suit does not only assist the child with movement, but it also provides increased proprioceptive and
sensory input, which helps the child to have better body awareness.
Children who can typically stand for a few seconds on their own, can stand for up to 10-30 seconds on their own
when in the suit.
What is the Universal Unit?
The Universal Unit is large metal frame that allows for a body weight supported system and pulley exercises.
The body weight supported system or "spider", consists of 8 bungees (or spider legs) that attach from the
universal unit to a harness the child wears. In the Universal Unit with the bungee system, a child can walk and
perform dynamic sitting and/or standing exercises, which serve to improve strength, balance, and coordination.
Children are also able to jump and hop on their own, as their body weight is being supported.
The pulley system allows for isolated muscles to be strengthened. Many children, especially those with muscle
tone issues, tend to move with multiple muscle groups and have difficulty with isolated movements. The pulley
system allows for specific muscles to be targeted and strengthened in order to improve the child's ability to sit,
roll, crawl, walk, or any other desired skill.
What does a 3-hour intensive session consist of?
Each intensive will be specifically structured to address each child's specific needs and may include the
following:
Stretching/range of motion, may include hot packs
Strengthening in the Universal Unit, which utilizes a pulley system that allows for strengthening of
individualized muscles. Children with neurological impairments often move in inefficient multi-muscle group
patterns and are unable to use their muscles in isolation.
Floor activities including rolling, commando crawling, crawling on hands and knees, sitting criss-cross, and
side sitting.
Balance activities in the Universal Unit with the bungee system. This allows for dynamic balance activities.
Children are able to challenge their balance skills in a safe and fun environment.
Transitional movements may include transitioning from lying on the floor to sitting up, standing up from the
floor, or standing up from a chair.
Transfers: This may include transferring from a wheelchair to the floor, transferring from a mat table to a
wheelchair, or transferring in and out of a car.
Body Weight Supported Gait Training in the Universal Unit with the bungee system allows children to walk on a
treadmill. Children are able to practice walking in a safe and supportive environment for longer periods of time,
allowing quicker progress.
Why is Intensive Suit Therapy beneficial?
Rapid improvement in range of motion, strength, balance, coordination, and mobility.
In three weeks, you can achieve what weekly 60 minute therapy sessions take nearly one year to achieve.
The following are all real outcomes of children who have participated in the full 3-week intensives:
Initially standing independently for one minute to standing independently for 5 minutes.
Initially able to walk 5-6 steps independently to walking 14-16 steps independently, including walking
on a surface with a half-inch height difference.
After the second intensive three months later the child could walk greater than 50 feet, including on
and off a mat of greater than 1 inch height, without a loss of balance.
Initially rolling over with *maximum assistance to rolling over with *minimal assistance.
Initially able to stand for 2 minutes at a table to standing for 10 minutes at a table.
Initially able to walk 40 feet with forearm crutches with *moderate assistance to being able to walk
60 feet with forearm crutches with *stand by assistance to contact guard assistance.
Initially able to transition from the floor to standing with *minimal to moderate assistance to being
able to transition independently and maintain independent standing balance after the transition for 10
seconds.
Initially unable to side sit to being able to side sit with *moderate assistance.
Initially lacking 50 degrees in hamstring length and progressing to only lacking 20 degrees of
hamstring length.
Initially lacking 30 degrees of elbow extension range of motion and progressing to only lacking 10
degrees of elbow extension range of motion.
Initially having 10 degrees of active outward rotation of their arm progressing to 60 degrees of
active outward rotation.
A child who routinely receives Botox injections and phenol block every 4 months for increased tone,
did not need Botox injections or phenol block after their three week intensive.
Who will benefit from Intensive / Suit Therapy?
Any child who has the following:
Neurological disorders including Cerebral Palsy, Stroke, Traumatic brain injury, Spinal Cord Injury, and Spina Bifida
Hypotonia (low muscle tone)
Hypertonia (high muscle tone)
Movement disorders including Ataxia, Athetosis, and Chorea
Developmental and Gross motor delay
Other syndromes, including Down Syndrome
Post-BOTOX
Cochlear implants
Pre and post surgery, such as Dorsal Rhizotomy, muscle lengthening, osteotomies.
What age can a child do an Intensive / Suit Therapy?
The youngest age is 18 months, in order for the child to tolerate the physical stress and to be able to follow
directions. The suit comes in sizes x-small to large to fit toddlers to adults.
How often should a child participate in an intensive session?
The recommendation is that children are scheduled at a minimum of every 6 months.
Those children who choose to participate only in intensive physical therapy sessions and do not have weekly
therapy are scheduled every 3-4 months.
Many children have goals that will take a long time to achieve. With frequent intensive therapy, they can
achieve those goals much sooner.
What sort of follow-up is there in between intensive sessions?
Each child is provided with a detailed home exercise program to be carried out daily, in order to continue the
progress made during the intensive session.
How is the cost covered?
If an insurance company will allow more than 4 units per day of therapy, then it is likely that an intensive
session will be covered. One unit is equal to 15 minutes.
For any family that pays privately for an intensive session, a significant discount will be given when paid at
the beginning of the session.
Where is the clinic located?
10130 NE Skidmore, Portland, OR 97223 (503)657-8903
When are the intensives scheduled?
The intensives are scheduled in three hour time slots generally in the morning and the early afternoon.
Children are expected to miss school while involved in the intensive session. In order to achieve the best results,
children need to be well rested.
What if my schedule does not allow for a 3-week intensive?
In order to allow for scheduling difficulties, we offer flexible scheduling for intensives:
Full Intensive - 3 hours per day, 5 days a week, 3-4 weeks
Mini Intensive - 3 hours per day 3-5 days per week
Weekly Intensive Appointment - weekly appointment of 2-3 hours
Things to remember before coming to an intensive...
Wear work-out clothes (sweat pants or shorts)
Bring a snack - high in protein - and water or juice
During the intensive it is imperative that protein and liquid in take is increased to meet the physical demands
placed on the body.
Clear your schedule-this is an intense time for you and your child.
* maximum assistance means the therapist is doing 75-100 percent of the work.
* moderate assistance means the therapist is doing 25-75 percent of the work.
* minimum assistance means the therapist is doing 0-25 percent of the work.
*contact guard assistance means the therapist has their hands in contact with the patient for safety, but is not doing any of the work.
*stand by assistance means the therapist is not making contact with the patient but is close by.
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