New walking station brings gait therapy right into MS patients’ homes
WalkPort device designed to help people with mobility difficulties
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A patient wearing a robotic exoskeleton walks on a treadmill during physical therapy while being monitored by a pair of medical professionals.
- WalkPort, a new device for gait therapy, helps people with mobility difficulties, including those with MS.
- It supports safe standing and walking practice, reducing fall risk for those with mobility issues.
- Used at home or in clinics, it guides walking motions and tracks progress via a mobile app.
Medthera has launched WalkPort, a supported walking station designed to help people with mobility difficulties, including those with multiple sclerosis (MS), safely stand and practice walking at home and in clinical settings.
The device is now open for reservations, with initial shipments expected to start in August, according to the company.
“Walking is more than movement — it’s independence,” Alan Tholkes, Medthera’s founder and CEO, and a longtime quadriplegic wheelchair user, said in a company press release. “I saw firsthand how limited access to consistent therapy slows progress. WalkPort was built to give people a safe way to practice walking every day, whether at home or as part of their therapy program.”
WalkPort can be used at home or in rehabilitation centers
In MS, inflammation of the brain and spinal cord can cause a range of mobility-related symptoms, including muscle stiffness (spasticity), weakness, fatigue, pain, and balance problems.
While physical therapy and regular exercise may help patients maintain mobility and independence, it can be difficult for patients to practice walking outside clinical settings. WalkPort is intended to help address that gap by allowing patients to engage in supported, repetitive walking-like movements.
The equipment, which can be used at home or in rehabilitation centers, helps users with sit-to-stand transitions and includes stabilizing supports to help keep the body upright and stable. This helps reduce the risk of falls and allows users to focus on consistent movement.
To practice walking, the system guides the legs through walking-like motions, which the company says may help reinforce more natural gait patterns.
Before I started using WalkPort daily four weeks ago, it took significant effort to stand up from a chair. Now, I do it almost without thinking.
A companion mobile app then tracks metrics such as steps, pace, and time spent standing or walking, allowing users and therapists to set goals and monitor progress over time. Performance may be accompanied in real time with visual summaries that show walking consistency and efficiency, and how time is spent between standing and walking.
For rehabilitation providers, the device may increase access to walking therapy. Traditional gait training can require multiple therapists to ensure patient safety, but WalkPort is designed to reduce the need for hands-on assistance while maintaining stability.
According to Medthera, the device may also be used in other conditions that affect mobility, including Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and spinal cord injury. It may also be useful for people with age-related mobility limitations.
For Paul, a 54-year-old man who lives with Parkinson’s and has been using the device, his “core strength is much better. Before I started using WalkPort daily four weeks ago, it took significant effort to stand up from a chair. Now, I do it almost without thinking.”
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