hcPACE ergonomic assistance: for standing, sitting, resting, rising and walking

Ergonomic ambulation assist device   Patent number: 11510842 B2  November 29, 2022

benefits - "silver bullets"

testimonials

• Ergonomic use, cues for keeping center of gravity over pelvis and elbows at the side of the body - avoid leaning forward
• Avoid falls with turns & twists of current market walkers, especially in tight spaces with side & back support
• Use of the heel-of-hand, one of the strongest parts of the body, moving the body with the legs instead of pushing with the arms
• Chair higher at upper thigh, avoiding dropping down with the difficulty rising up as a resting seat vs a chair without the need to turn self or the device around since already behind the person  
• Optional accessory holds e.g. O2, IV, parasol (outdoor use in hot sun markets e.g. FL/AZ) pulse ox, portable ECG & cell phone in the hand-arm rest, foot rest, portable commode to insert for unstable to keep  support
• Removes the need for hand gripping with comorbidities such as rheumatoid arthritis, stroke weakness, wearing a cast, etc. 
• Pressure auto breaking with weight pressed down, using the body’s natural movement and kinetic energy​
• Therapists get to choose the footing, mix and match gliders and wheel sizes based on the individual's needs e.g. if one sided weakness, amputation, becoming more or less stable - plug & play footing changes to change the walker as a person's support needs change, versus having to buy multiple walkers​​
• Front handles to assist rising from a toilet/low chair/bed, to use one's legs - versus the person's back leaning forward - with full support using the device getting to a standing position. ​
• The frame in the back allows people to do things in front of them e.g. drink, eat a meal from a table, walk a pet, etc.
  

A game changer. A therapist's tool because it is safer for the clinician. Therapists will gobble it up.  VA Rehab experts

Head of Physical Therapy, VA Hospital in AL (reviewed also by x2 VA orthopedic physicians in Phoenix, AZ)
Bio: Home health, outpatient, inpatient acute rehab, geriatric, pediatric, skilled nursing facilities & orthopedics. Specialized in movement analysis, manual therapy. Participated in an Action Based Leadership program. Rehabilitation Coordinator physical & occupational therapy services in a multi-facility setting. 

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At this point, I don’t think we need any further people to evaluate as I believe everything at this point forward is redundant---we have already noted it. From a posture and movement efficiency perspective, the device allows proper posture and encourages functional locomotion as a result. Walking muscles and postural muscles are in an optimal position to deliver biomechanically correct bipedal gait using a walking aid that is very safe due to the inherent stability of the design.  Tiziano Marovino

​Tiziano Marovino, DPT, MPH, DAIPM
​is Chief of Health Strategy and Innovation at the Biogenesis Group, a disease management and senior human performance research center in Ypsilanti, Michigan, where he performs clinical research in health economics, measurement studies, and population health. Physical Therapy, epidemiology and kineseology. He is an adjunct faculty member at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota, where he teaches differential screening in the DPT program, and is in the graduate Human Performance program at Concordia University in Chicago, IL. Dr. Marovino serves as PPM’s pain device expert.    TLC Pain Management, Physical Therapy - Pain Management, Ypsilanti, Michigan 

The device is safe, stable and allows biomechanically correct gait to occur in patients whose recovery trajectory is consistent with normal gait. In those afflicted with disease, injury or older age who are no longer capable of safe, independent gait, then this device can assist in acting as an aid to allow a more normal and safe compensated form of assisted gait. Either way, this device represents an improvement over currently available walker technology from a safety standpoint.  Tiziano Marovino​​

major issues with devices on the market today, include:

• allowing a person’s center of gravity to be away from/in front of the pelvis with less/loss of balance, elbows in front of body plane;
• having the device in front of the person impeding movement of feet forward, pushing with hands, and inability to do anything in front of them, prohibiting the natural motion of moving the feet forward, as well as not providing support to prevent falling sideways and backwards;
• forcing the use of hands, wrists and shoulders causing stress,;
  
• people in distress are unable to squeeze a brake well or timely, and most severe injuries are from falling sideways or backwards;
• unable to have support while turning to sit down, and then not able to easily rise again;
• inability to turn around in tight spaces, causing users to leave walker behind to get to the toilet, chair, bed and car without support;  

 From career physical therapists (PTs): 

• wheels on the outside catch, on the inside causing people to trip, and wheels are usually too loose and easily break;
• when turning or going backward, patients cannot recover when losing their balance, current devices don’t allow "catching" them;
• all surgeries are different, but walkers are all the same rehab, patients have variable needs of support at different times;
• all walkers require hands (even front leaning) and patients have arthritis, weakness, cannot use their hands;
• many only need crutches but get a walker instead which causes loss of agility, especially contraction/constrictions with amputations;
• many people are given knee scooters that tip easily/very unstable when used with foot surgeries;
• when an injury with upper & lower extremity, people cannot use walkers and are forced to use wheelchairs with inability to strengthen their muscles;
• skin tears on sharper edges with standard walkers that fold,
• walkers cannot angle, there is shoulder strain when using hands and leaning forward, cannot be used if a patient has a cast;
• when something goes wrong there is no recovery! Very little adaptability is the biggest problem.

​Delphine HC Innovations, LLC,. All rights reserved, Rose M. Rohloff, 2025