A self-made suspension trainer as a tool for core muscle activation and motivation in a girl with cognitive and motor impairments: a case report.
Volodymyr Maksym
PMID 41822793WHAT IT FOUND
A therapist-built rope and stick trainer helped one 13-year-old girl with severe impairments increase core exercise repetitions from 1–2 to 10–15.
The caregiver reported better posture and willingness to participate, but no standardized measures were used.
Key findings
01The child progressed from completing 1–2 repetitions before fatigue to performing 10–15 repetitions with minimal assistance over several sessions.
02Therapist observation and caregiver report noted improved trunk control, less forward leaning during movement attempts, and increased willingness to engage in therapy.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
This is a single case report, so it cannot prove that the treatment works or is generalizable. No standardized or objective outcome measures were used; results rely on subjective therapist and caregiver reports. There was no control group, blinding, or independent assessment. Natural maturation or concurrent therapies could have contributed to the observed changes. Follow-up was limited to the immediate intervention period.
Declared interests
The author(s) declared that financial support was not received for this work.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this device improves clinical outcomes. The reported gains are based on subjective observation in one child without standardized measures, so they do not demonstrate that the intervention causes functional improvement.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →