The Most Common Rehab Equipment For Home Use

Physical therapy equipment are important tools to encourage recovery through regained strength and mobility. After an injury or surgery, physical therapy will be an integral part of any recovery plan, even though the type, frequency, and intensity will be largely variable depending on the specific situation of a patient. For many, therapy can thrive even beyond the clinical environment, especially with rehab equipment that’s easily accessible and usable from the comfort of home.

Whether you’re a healthcare provider or a patient, here’s some expert insight from the Medcom Group into the most common rehab equipment for home use.

Rehab at Home - Things to Consider

Home rehabilitation is, in some sense, a double-edged sword. It is a great tool to have available, allowing individuals to practice rehab at home as much as they want, whenever they want. Repetition and consistency matter for successful rehab, and at-home rehab equipment fortunately enables that to occur easily and readily. Unfortunately, this also means a lot of responsibility remains for the patient to engage in physical therapy on their own will without, necessarily, anyone there to encourage or motivate them.

It is therefore important to seek out rehab equipment that is engaging, motivating, and well-suited for the home environment. Equipment that is versatile and likely to be used daily are a great choice, and the available space in the home should be a primary consideration. Equipment that is inconvenient or hard to use in the home, for example, will not be a good choice for home rehab equipment.

Benefits of Home-Use Rehab Equipment

Certainly, one of the biggest benefits of at-home rehab equipment is that patients can take control of their recovery. It can be difficult for some individuals to engage in therapy when insurance doesn’t cover frequent sessions or other barriers prevent them from getting to a physical therapy clinic such as lack of transportation.

Furthermore, home rehab equipment allows patients to engage in therapy as frequently as they need to and base their therapy routine around their schedule. It helps people stay healthy and independent, and it can save a lot of money and time for patients in the long run.

Rehab equipment in general has a plethora of benefits, including:

• Faster recovery
• Increased strength and range of motion
• Targeted rehabilitation
• Pain management
• Treatment consistency
• Enables monitoring of progress

Most Common Rehab Equipment for Home Use

Home rehab equipment will help patients reach their physical therapy goals at home, and physical therapists, doctors, and healthcare providers can help guide patients to the tools and exercises that are right for them. What follows are the most common rehab equipment recommended to patients for a variety of conditions.

• Exercise Balls

Exercise balls, also known as physio balls, are one of the most common and versatile pieces of rehab equipment. Exercise balls can be used for stretching, building core strength, improving posture and balance, and preventing back pain. They come in a variety of sizes that can be selected for different purposes, and they are usually inflatable, making them highly portable and easily stored.

• Balance Pad/ Bosu Ball

Balance pads are thick pads made from dense foam, and bosu balls are similar to exercise balls except they are flat and flush to the ground on one of their sides and the ball is thus only half of a sphere. These are similar tools in that they work to improve balance and stability by engaging more muscles in one’s body to stabilize as the surface responds to movements.

• Resistance Bands

Resistance bands are flat, long, rubbery ribbons designed for use in resistance training. These bands are inexpensive and highly dynamic in their ability to help a variety of different exercises with different levels of resistance. Resistance bands are normally used to target specific muscles and body parts that are difficult to isolate, such as the rotator cuff.

• Foam Roller

Foam rollers are cylindrical pieces of foam that are used for stretching and rolling out muscles. They come in a variety of sizes and densities, and they can even include ridges and bumps to increase their pressure. Foam rollers are most commonly used to massage away tension, but they can also help in increasing the range of motion in some rehab activities.

Common Specialized Rehab Equipment

Several common pieces of rehab equipment target more specific conditions, including:

• Cold & Heat Therapy

Cold and heat therapy machines can be used to reduce swelling and pain after injuries or surgery, particularly with muscles. They work by supplying cold and hot temperatures respectively to targeted areas that need it most. Combined with compression, cold and heat therapy can be particularly effective.

• Electrotherapy

Electrotherapy is a form of medical treatment that uses small, gentle electrical impulses to repair tissue, stimulate muscles, increase range of motion, and improve circulation. Electrotherapy:

• Sends out electrical impulses that block or interfere with the body's pain signals, reducing pain.
• Helps release endorphins (chemical messengers) that naturally decrease pain in the body.
• Stimulates muscle tissue to contract to reduce atrophy.
• Creates a heating effect within the body, which improves circulation and stimulates healing.
• Stimulates cells that reduce inflammation, promote collagen production, and inhibit pain.

• CPM Machines

Continuous passive motion (CPM) machines gently move a joint that has recently undergone surgery without active input from the patient. CPM machines can work with practically any type of joint, and they help by reducing swelling and pain, inhibiting scar tissue formation, and helping maintain and increase range of motion.

• SCD Machines

Sequential compression devices (SCD) help individuals who are immobile by encouraging blood flow through their legs. By gently squeezing the legs from the ankles up to the thigh, SCD machines can simulate the natural recycling process for blood and lymph and thereby help prevent issues such as DVT and blood clots.

Reputable Rehab Equipment Supplier

Common at-home rehab equipment is widely accessible, but other rehab equipment that is targeted for more specific issues can be more challenging to acquire. If you’re a healthcare provider or a patient looking for ways to acquire rehab equipment such as cold and heat therapy machines, electrotherapy machines, CPM machines, and SCD machines, consider working with one of the most reputable medical equipment suppliers in the industry. At the Medcom Group, we strive to make your rehab journey as easy and efficient as possible. Contact us today to get your own specialized rehab equipment or to learn why our clients love working with us!