ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In May, CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta profiled Steve Ofca, a father living with MS. Ofca was finding it difficult to walk or sit without having balance issues. Even worse, when he attempted to sit, he ran the risk of falling. His biggest challenge, however, was easing his daughter’s insecurity as she watched him suffer from his unsteadiness.
Ofca’s use of the BalanceWear stabilizing garment has been profound and provided him with confidence. Dr. Gupta profiles Ofca’s story and the BalanceWear stabilizing garment he uses. It was fitted by physical therapist, Dr. Stephen Kanter with empowering results.
Following is the transcript of Dr. Gupta’s Everyday Health program featuring BalanceWear. You can view the video online at Everyday Health.
[Transcript]
Dr. Sanjay Gupta: It’s tough being the father of a teenage daughter. You know that little girl who once adored you, now seems to be embarrassed by you. It’s even tougher, though, if you have a disability that affects how you walk, and how you talk. Steve Ofca said that was the hardest part about living with MS. He worried about how it was affecting his daughter. But he found a surprising way to reduce those symptoms and it was as easy as slipping into a shirt. A few years ago, Steve Ofca could not have walked down the street with his daughter, Alice.
Steve Ofca: It gets old when people keep saying to you, “Why are you walking so funny,” or “What’s going on with you man? Are you drunk?” You know.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta: He couldn’t do this either [sitting in a chair]. Sitting down meant basically falling down. His physical therapist, Dr. Stephen Kanter, demonstrates what he used to do.
Dr. Stephen Kanter [demonstrating]: This kind of sitting is indicative of loss of control, loss of coordination and loss of balance.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta: The transformation from this [no vest]…to this [vest and more stability]…all thanks to this simple vest.
Steve Ofca: This is my BalanceWear vest and it’s calibrated with weights. Dr. Kanter gave me weights up on my left shoulder and also on my right side.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Those carefully placed weights somehow restores his stability.
Steve Ofca: I can’t explain it, all I know is that it works and it makes me…it makes my life… the quality of my life so much better.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Dr. Kanter can’t entirely explain it either.
Dr. Stephen Kanter: You would think it shouldn’t work. It wasn’t about weighting them in the opposite direction they were falling; it was a matter of putting a weight on them that changed the way their body perceived being in space. It sounds a little bit hocus pocus and if I hadn’t seen what I’ve seen, I wouldn’t believe it worked either.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Studies have backed up that it works, but not how it works. Alex was 12 when her father’s symptoms were at their worst.
Steve Ofca: My biggest concern was her being embarrassed by her father.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta: There’s no cure for MS but there’s many more ways to manage the symptoms than there were even a decade ago when Steve was diagnosed and even more are in the pipeline. With Everyday Health, I’m Dr. Sangay Gupta. Be well.
[End Transcript]
BalanceWear, a therapeutic invented by Physical Therapist Cindy Gibson-Horn and manufactured by Motion Therapeutics is designed to counter balance loss in individuals based on Gibson-Horn’s research utilizing Balance-Based Torso Weighting® (BBTW®). It has attracted doctors, researchers and patients suffering balance loss and earned a National Institutes of Health Recovery Grant of just under $400,000 awarded to Samuel Merritt University (SMU) Physical Therapy Professor Dr. Gail Widener, PT, and Dr. Diane Allen at San Francisco State University to continue research into Balance-Based Torso Weighting (BBTW) and its effects on Multiple Sclerosis (MS) mobility challenges. The first phase of the study validates previous research funded by the National MS Society demonstrating same session improvement in walking.
For more information on BalanceWear, visit www.motiontherapeutics.com. Motion Therapeutics is a provider of therapeutic products designed to improve balance, stability and mobility in many disease states utilizing patented Balance-Based Torso-Weighting® (BBTW®) technology provided in the patented BalanceWear® Series mobility products. The company’s products are designed to accelerate the recovery and rehabilitation of adults and children with balance challenges and improve the mobility, confidence and independence of individuals. Visit MotionTherapeutics.com to learn more.
Become a fan of BalanceWear Stabilizing Garment on Facebook and connect with Cindy Gibson-Horn by subscribing to her blog. You can also find her on Twitter (@BalanceWear_MTI). View incredible patient results on Motion Therapeutics’ YouTube channel.
