Course Description:

Standing frames are devices used to provide positioning alternatives to sitting in a wheelchair by supporting a person unable to stand independently. Some types also assist with achieving a standing position. These devices are generally used to provide the benefits of standing upright to patients with impairments in any body system who are wheelchair dependent, and are most commonly used by persons with diagnoses of paraplegia, quadriplegia, cerebral palsy, multiple trauma, traumatic brain injury (TBI), multiple sclerosis, and post-polio syndrome. Standing frames are used to increase independence in activities of daily living (ADLs), improve circulation and cardiopulmonary function, stimulate antigravity muscle activity and trunk control, improve bone density, redistribute pressure to improve skin integrity, and aid in digestion and bowel and bladder functioning. Additional benefits noted in pediatric populations include allowing increased awareness of surroundings, establishment of eye contact with care providers, and enhancement of social and educational opportunities. Standing frames must be used correctly to avoid injury. Safety factors to consider include risk of fractures in patients with decreased bone mineral density, increased risk of skin breakdown due to shearing forces, and existing contractures or skeletal deformities preventing proper standing position and support.