NEW Senior Balance Program: Contact us for a demo!
Mission
Rehabit Health is on a mission to revolutionize physical therapy. We aim to empower individuals to reclaim their lives after health setbacks or injuries.
Our Founders
Dr. Michael Malaway
Co-founder, Rehabit Health
Tom Lupfer
Co-founder, Rehabit Health
Dr. Michael Malawey, PT has been treating patients with integrity, devotion, and compassion since 1993. Tom Lupfer, co-founder of Rehabit Health leads Clarity Design, which has provided engineering and manufacturing services for products in medical, industrial and consumer markets for the past 33 years. Our founders share a passion for researching and incorporating new treatment methods to improve patient care. Rehabit Health products are developed and manufactured in the USA.
Our Purpose
Dr. Michael Malaway
In completing my Doctor of Physical Therapy at Western University and my BS of Physical Therapy at Maryville University, I developed an interest in the biomechanics of the body, further pursuing my studies with an emphasis on the spine and foot.
In 2006, I opened my own practice and started working with neurological patients. One of my patients, a stroke survivor, had difficulty with carryover once the therapy session ended. “Carryover” is the ability to remember a new way of moving or activity and to be able to apply that new skill independently. Every patient and therapist understands this concept and knows the frustration. In addition, his sensory awareness of body weight on his foot was not there. This is a common, nearly universal problem with acquired brain injury patients. The consequence of the above scenario for him and possibly millions of others was that ultimately full recovery may not happen.
No matter how proficient I was at applying mechanics and no matter how good the response, as soon as I stopped my handling and feedback, there was reversion back to the dysfunctional movement. Even more frustrating was the question, "am I teaching the correct skill?" I had no way of knowing. I wondered what the gait pattern looked like from a biomechanical perspective.
There was no product or technology that could guide the patient and clinician with weight bearing, balance, exercise and walking while providing real-time feedback in a method that was inexpensive, portable, and reliable.
​
After intense testing and development by the Rehabit Health team, our system for guided physical therapy was born. Now, I cannot imagine treating these patients without this technological guidance. In time it is my hope that the use of guided balance and gait therapy will become the standard of practice.