Contents: -Definition, Principle, Advantages, Suspension instruments, Procedure, Types of suspension, Techniques. Definition: - It is defined as suspending a part of the body or whole body with the supported slings and pulleys. That is given to the patients to increase ROM, increase muscle power, and support body part. Suspension free the body from friction of material upon the body components may be resting and it permits free movements without resistance. Late Mrs. Guthrie Smith invented the suspension apparatus. Principle: - It is working under three principle: - Friction. Pendulum. Eliminating gravity. (a) Friction: - It occurs during a particular surface move on another. It is the force, which restrict the movement of an object. If the surface are more smooth and slippery will have less friction, in that surface the movement will be more and will cause slippery. If the surface is hard or rough results in more friction and the movements are opposed by the friction force. The same principle is used in the suspension which has less friction causes smooth and easy movements. (b) Pendulum: - Pendulum is heavy material suspended by the weightless thread. The force is applied on the pendulum it results in to and fro movement. One complete swing is called as Oscillation. The arc of movement of the pendulum forms a segment of base of the cone. In the human body the pendular motion occurs mainly in the shoulder joint and the hip joint, forward leg movement and the arm swing movement while walking. The simple muscular contraction is necessary to initiate the oscillation. The same mechanism is used in the suspension therapy to maintain the muscle property, increase the range of movement and strengthening the muscles. (c) Eliminating Gravity Movement: - If the person has the muscle power 2 (gravity eliminated movement), can go for the suspension exercises. The patients should have minimal muscle power of 2 to under go for suspension therapy exercise. If the muscle power is above 3, the patient can go for against the gravity exercise instead of suspension therapy exercise. Advantages: - It reduces the burden for the therapist. Easy to lift the limbs. Active movement can be performed easily with minimum friction. Easier to maintain the position of limbs with slings and pulleys in the required position. Suspension instruments: - Suspension frame. Supporting ropes. Pulleys. Slings. S-hook and dog clips. Wooden cleat. (a) Suspension Frame: - It is made up of stainless steel or plastic-coated steels. In the top and head end side presents the 5-centimeter metal mesh, and the remaining sides are kept open. The measurement of the frame is 1m or 2m width X 2m length X 2m height. In the middle of the frame 2m length X 1m width X 1m height couch is placed for the patient's accommodation. (b)Supporting Ropes: - It is 1.5 meters length, and 3 ply hemp ropes are used for the suspension to avoid slipping.

1. SUSPENSION THERAPY
Dr. Prashant Kaushik
BPT, MPT, PhD scholar
MIAP, CCSDN
Assistant professor
KINPMS

2. CONTENTS:-
 Definition.
 Principle.
 Advantages.
 Suspension instruments.
 Procedure.
 Types of suspension.
 Techniques.

3. 1. DEFINITION:-
 It is defined as suspending a part of the body or whole body with the supported
slings and pulleys.
 That is given to the patients to increase ROM, increase muscle power, and support
body part.
 Suspension free the body from friction of material upon the body components may
be resting and it permits free movements without resistance.
 Late Mrs. Guthrie Smith invented the suspension apparatus.

4. 2. PRINCIPLE OF SUSPENSION
THERAPY:-
 It is working under three principle:-
(i) Friction.
(ii) Pendulum.
(iii) Eliminating gravity.

5. (I) FRICTION:-
 It occurs during a particular surface move on another.
 It is the force, which restrict the movement of an object.
 If the surface are more smooth and slippery will have less friction, in that surface
the movement will be more and will cause slippery.
 If the surface is hard or rough results in more friction and the movements are
opposed by the friction force.
 The same principle is used in the suspension which has less friction causes smooth
and easy movements.

6. (II) PENDULUM:-
 Pendulum is heavy material suspended by the weightless thread.The force is
applied on the pendulum it results in to and fro movement.
 One complete swing is called as Oscillation.
 The arc of movement of the pendulum forms a segment of base of the cone.
 In the human body the pendular motion occurs mainly in the shoulder joint and the
hip joint, forward leg movement and the arm swing movement while walking.
 The simple muscular contraction is necessary to initiate the oscillation.
 The same mechanism is used in the suspension therapy to maintain the muscle
property, increase the range of movement and strengthening the muscles.

7. (III) ELIMINATING GRAVITY
MOVEMENT:-
 If the person has the muscle power 2 (gravity eliminated movement), can go for
the suspension exercises.
 The patients should have minimal muscle power of 2 to under go for
suspension therapy exercise.
 If the muscle power is above 3, the patient can go for against the gravity exercise
instead of suspension therapy exercise.

8. 3. ADVANTAGES:-
 It reduces the burden for the therapist.
 Easy to lift the limbs.
 Active movement can be performed easily with minimum friction.
 Easier to maintain the position of limbs with slings and pulleys in the required
position.

10. 4. SUSPENSION INSTRUMENTS:-
a) Suspension frame.
b) Supporting ropes.
c) Pulleys.
d) Slings.
e) S-hook and dog clips.
f) Wooden cleat.

11. A) SUSPENSION FRAME:-
 It is made up of stainless steel or
plastic coated steels.
 In the top and head end side
presents the 5-centimeter metal
mesh, and the remaining sides are
kept open.
 The measurement of the frame is 1m
or 2m width X 2m length X 2m
height.
 In the middle of the frame 2m length
X 1m width X 1m height couch is
placed for the patients
accommodation.

12. B) SUPPORTING ROPES:-
 It is 1.5 meters length and 3 ply hemp ropes are used for the suspension to avoid
slipping.
 There are 3 varieties of supporting ropes are used:-
(i) Primary ropes.
(ii) Secondary ropes.
(iii) Vertical ropes.

13. CONT….
 Primary rope, which is used to take the axis as the point of suspension and its
supports the distal joint.
 The secondary rope is added with the primary rope to support the proximal joint.
 Vertical rope are used for vertical suspension and are supporting the mid –
portion of the body segment.

14. C) WOODEN CLEAT:-
 It is made up of wood and is used for altering the length of the rope.
 Has two or three holes for the rope passage, the rope itself holds the cleat by
friction resistance.
 The cleat is placed horizontally, for adjusting the length of the rope and the oblique
alignment of the cleat for friction resistance by the rope to avoid slippery.

15. D) PULLEY:-
 It gives the mechanical advantages.
 Pulley are used to reduce the burden of lifting whole body of body part.
 Sometimes a therapist used two or more pulleys depends on the body part (If the
body part is big like thorax, trunk, thigh etc).

16. E) SLINGS:-
 There are four varieties of slings:-
(i) Single sling.
(ii) Double sling.
(iii) Three ring sling.
(iv) Head sling.

17. (I) SINGLE SLING:-
 It is 68cm length and 17cm width, both the ends are having D-ring for the
attachment with dog clip and S-hook.
 These type of slings are used for the elbow and knee region.

18. (II) DOUBLE SLING:-
 It is bigger than single sling, it will have more than two sides with D-rings.
 It has 68cm length and 28cm width.
 It is more useful for supporting the bigger parts like thorax, trunk, and thigh.

19. (III) THREE RING SLING:-
 It is 75cm length and 3-4cm width, it consists of three D-rings.
 Two at the both end of the sling and one in the middle kept moving.
 It is mainly used for wrist and ankle regions.

20. (IV) HEAD SLING:-
 It is used to support the head in the middle of the sling presents a slit for
accommodation of the occipital region while in supine or lower ear
accommodation while inside lying.

21. S-HOOK AND DOG CLIPS:-
 S-hook and dog clips are used:-
(i) To attach the supporting rope with mesh.
(ii) To attach the sling with supporting ropes.

22. 5. PROCEDURE:-
 One end of the supporting rope is attached by the S-hook with the mesh and
another end is passes through the one hole of the wooden cleat, and taken out
through another hole.
 The one more S-hook attaches the sling with the supporting rope in between the
two holes of wooden cleat.
 The knotting should be half hitched, so that it can be removed easily while altering
the support or movement.

23. 6.TYPES OF SUSPENSION:-
 There are three types of suspension:-
(i) Axial suspension.
(ii) Vertical suspension.
(iii) Pendular suspension.

24. (I) AXIAL SUSPENSION:-
 Joint axis is taken as the point of the suspension.
 The limb is supported by the slings above the axis of the joint.
 If the movement is initiated the limb moves both sides and the base of the swings
shows the segment of the base of the cone shape.The part moves parallel to the floor.
Uses:-
 Relaxation.
 Maintain the muscular property.
 Increase the blood circulation.
 Increase the venous drainage.
 Increase the lymphatic drainage.

25. (II) VERTICAL SUSPENSION:-
 The center of gravity of the body part or the body is taken the point of suspension.
 The body parts can be supported in these types of suspension rather than
strengthening or performing pendular movement of the limb.
Uses:-
 To support the body part.
 To reduce the pressure sore.

26. (III) PENDULAR SUSPENSION:-
 The axis of the joint is taken as the point of suspension then depends on the
strengthening of the muscle group, the axis is changing towards medially or
laterally, anteriorly or posteriorly.
 The muscles will be getting resistance while movement if the axis is shifted
opposite to that movement.
Uses:-
 To strengthen the muscles.
 To increase the muscle power.
 To increase the endurance.