In recent years, a new physiotherapy treatment called Therasuit has been introduced. It consists of a suit made up of knee pads, straps and elastic bands that are adjusted to the needs of each patient. This treatment is indicated both for children in pediatric consultations and adults with neuromuscular diseases and motor problems, regardless of their cause.
Origin of Therasuit
The Therasuit method comes from a treatment developed by Russian researchers to treat muscular atrophy in astronauts who spent long periods of time in space.
Based on this method, Polish physiotherapists Richard and Izabela Koscielny studied the possibility of developing a new treatment for the rehabilitation of their daughter with cerebral palsy. So they moved to the United States, where they designed the Therasuit.
Therasuit method: what it consists of
The Therasuit consists of a hood, a two-piece suit, knee pads, shoe straps and elastic bands that bind them together. Thus, the treatment is a combination of the suit and an intensive and personalized strengthening program so that the child can improve body alignment, strengthen weak muscles, improve head and trunk control, among other aspects.
The therapy consists of daily sessions of three hours duration that are carried out from Monday to Friday for four weeks, at least once or twice a year depending on the pathology and the child’s progress, which can be up to three times a year in cases of great affectation.
Benefits of Therasuit
Therasuit offers better results in a short period of time, as it accelerates the child’s functional progress significantly. The most outstanding benefits are:
- Normalization of the child’s muscle tone
- Increased strength and endurance
- Improved postural alignment and symmetry
- Decrease in uncontrolled movements
- Coordination of upper and lower extremities
- Support for weak musculature
- Development of fine and gross motor skills
- Aid in the production and improvement of speech
- Reduction of muscle contractures
Once the intensive therapy is completed, the medical specialist will indicate a specific treatment to maintain the results.