"Biodex has incorporated these electronic advancements into physical medicine products that test and train strength, balance and gait and provide patients with real-time biofeedback of success and failures," Schubert says. "This audio and visual Biofeedback provides both the patients and therapists with instantaneous data relating to proper movement patterns, and then prompts the patient into correct movement patterns through a user-friendly graphical interface."

There are also a number of electronic devices for people with amputations (computer- controlled prostheses, such as the C-leg) or with conditions like foot drop, where a microcomputer triggers electrical pulses/stimulations so that a person can walk almost naturally. Many of these have limited applications, but for some, they are considered to be "must have" products.


Compression therapy
Another advance in PT equipment utilizes cold and compression therapy.

"With the increase in popularity in the game-ready, vasopneumatic compression devices, patients are recovering faster from surgical procedures because their edema is controlled earlier," says Lauretani. "These devices allow cold, almost frozen water to be circulated through a compression garment that the patient wears around the surgical site."

With the shift in health care reimbursements, patients' insurance plans are cutting the amount of time units are "borrowed" and clinics are having trouble getting reimbursed for treatments. Newer, more user-friendly and cost-effective units have surfaced such as the thermo-active compression units that cost the patient around $50 and offer hot and cold therapy with one unit. This enables clinics to carry multiple units and use them with a variety of diagnoses without having to worry about recovering money on a large capital investment.

Regarding reimbursement issues, many in the industry are still trying to put their heads around what the recent health bill legislation will mean to a physical therapist and the companies that serve them.

According to Bright, the new law contains some items that will stimulate the PT industry and some items that need more work.

"The [law] calls for payment for prevention services and programs. With that we should see an increase in patients, which should affect the bottom line for PT equipment providers," he says. "The limiter for growth in this sector has been Medicare. If changes are made to how Medicare pays for PT services I think you will see a huge spike in revenue. Most patients have to be referred currently; they cannot just seek out a PT because they believe they need therapy. In addition to that, the cap on services that Medicare will pay per year is not as high as it should be. As with anything, there are pros and cons to this bill and I think most companies are waiting to see how it plays out."

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