TipToeTracker
Don protégé
My son Julian was born three months prematurely. Julian has cerebral palsy. He recently turned 11. To stay ahead of the devastating, longterm effects of cerebral palsy, for the past 10 years, Julian has had physiotherapy every single day.
It was early in Julian’s cerebral palsy journey that I realised physio could not continuously address the finer aspects of movement, balance and coordination. Since then I’ve created many biofeedback devices to help Julian maintain the best possible posture.
Julian tiptoes. Tiptoe walking and tiptoe standing are common in people with cerebral palsy. Over time they both lead to tightening of the calf muscles and shortening of the Achilles tendon. This results in contracture and inevitably requires surgery.
Of all the medical toys I’ve made, the one device Julian has found most useful is the TipToeTracker. The TipToeTracker is a small device that slips into his sock at the level of his calf muscle. The TipToeTracker constantly monitors the angle of his leg. If he is standing equally on both feet and his heels are down, nothing happens. If, however, his feet are not flat on the ground, the device gently vibrates after 5 seconds to remind him to put his heel down. If he doesn’t put his heel down, the Tracker continues to vibrate for the next 10 seconds, after which it beeps.
The great advantage of the TipToeTracker is that it forces Julian to make his heel touch the ground. This stretches the muscles and prevents them from getting tighter.
My mission and the reason I’m hoping to get funding is to help improve the TipToeTracker and be able to make it available to many others who suffer like Julian does.
The new version of the TipToeTracker will be smaller, more streamline, USB chargeable and housed in a professionally moulded case (instead of a 3D printed one!).
Any financial assistance you can offer will make it possible to bring the TipToeTracker to others in need.
If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to email me at: [adresse e-mail supprimée]. You can see some of my other inventions at www.JPosture.com
Thank you in advance for your help to make the TipToeTracker become a reality for others.
Marc
It was early in Julian’s cerebral palsy journey that I realised physio could not continuously address the finer aspects of movement, balance and coordination. Since then I’ve created many biofeedback devices to help Julian maintain the best possible posture.
Julian tiptoes. Tiptoe walking and tiptoe standing are common in people with cerebral palsy. Over time they both lead to tightening of the calf muscles and shortening of the Achilles tendon. This results in contracture and inevitably requires surgery.
Of all the medical toys I’ve made, the one device Julian has found most useful is the TipToeTracker. The TipToeTracker is a small device that slips into his sock at the level of his calf muscle. The TipToeTracker constantly monitors the angle of his leg. If he is standing equally on both feet and his heels are down, nothing happens. If, however, his feet are not flat on the ground, the device gently vibrates after 5 seconds to remind him to put his heel down. If he doesn’t put his heel down, the Tracker continues to vibrate for the next 10 seconds, after which it beeps.
The great advantage of the TipToeTracker is that it forces Julian to make his heel touch the ground. This stretches the muscles and prevents them from getting tighter.
My mission and the reason I’m hoping to get funding is to help improve the TipToeTracker and be able to make it available to many others who suffer like Julian does.
The new version of the TipToeTracker will be smaller, more streamline, USB chargeable and housed in a professionally moulded case (instead of a 3D printed one!).
Any financial assistance you can offer will make it possible to bring the TipToeTracker to others in need.
If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to email me at: [adresse e-mail supprimée]. You can see some of my other inventions at www.JPosture.com
Thank you in advance for your help to make the TipToeTracker become a reality for others.
Marc
Organisateur
Marc Gunderson
Organisateur
