SBIR Phase I: IBEX - Restoring Functional Mobility in the Elderly through In Bed Exercise

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9860355 This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will innovate an In-Bed Exerciser (IBEX). The objective is to restore and/or prevent the loss of functional mobility in bedridden-elderly patients. Functional mobility loss in the elderly often results from rapid muscular atrophy of the thigh and leg muscles during prolonged bed-rest. Decreased functional mobility has a drastic effect on quality of life and has been found to significantly predict mortality. Bedridden-elderly patients depend on physical therapists to provide appropriate exercise at bedside in sessions that are often too infrequent to maintain or rehabilitate deconditioned thigh and leg muscles. Furthermore, physical therapists are unable to sustain sufficient force and intensity to exercise the thigh and leg muscles adequately. Phase I research consists of the design, construction and pilot testing with bedridden patients of a second-generation prototype. The research objectives are to demonstrate the feasibility and safety of IBEX for Phase II clinical trials. The estimated total market of 300,000 Americans is currently served at a cost of $1.4 billion. IBEX will reduce these health care costs by both maintaining and restoring the functional mobility of bedridden patients. IBEX will be used in hospitals, nursing homes and home care settings.