Prototype for Physical Therapy Tool

Cerebral palsy affects all patients differently, but in some cases, it can cause trouble climbing stairs, specifically the inability to clear a stair when ascending. A patient with cerebral palsy will lift his or her foot to a height that is insufficient to step onto the stair, and kick the side of the stair, which could cause tripping and injury. While there are numerous physical therapy tools to help those with cerebral palsy correct their gait, there is none that addresses this specific issue.

We were asked by Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (formerly RIC), of Chicago, IL, to create a safe and durable therapy tool to assist people with cerebral palsy in climbing stairs safely, and ultimately lead to the user being able to navigate stairs independently of an assistive device. Our answer: the Toe Tapper.

After trying several prototypes involving visual and auditory cues, we found the patient responded best to auditory stimuli. As such, we designed a noisemaking insert that fit under the laces of a shoe to alert the patient when he was kicking a stair. We selected for features like cost, comfort, ease of use, and ease of manufacturability. The prototype was hand made using sheet metal, with individual pieces welded of glued together.