Tag: OmniTour

The Role of Advanced Technology in Cardiac Rehab

The Role of Advanced Technology in Cardiac Rehab 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease in the US. It is caused by plaque build-up in the coronary arteries, which slows blood flow. The most common symptom of CAD is chest pain. However, many people don’t have symptoms and only find out they have CAD after suffering a heart attack. 

With February being American Heart Month, it’s an opportune time to highlight the importance of cardiac rehab (CR) in supporting heart health and managing CAD. CR helps prevent future heart attacks, improves physical function, and enhances quality of life. A comprehensive CR program includes physical activity, education, and counseling. Advanced rehab technology can play a role in cardiac management, improving breathing and physical activity for individuals with CAD. 

OmniFlow® Breathing Therapy Biofeedback System

In patients with stable angina, an 8-week inspiratory muscle training program improved respiratory and peripheral muscle strength, functional exercise capacity, and health-related quality of life.1 The OmniFlow Breathing Therapy Biofeedback System incorporates interactive, customizable, breathing exercises that help guide patients and their therapists. 

Forced Inhalation

Forced Exhalation

Rhythmic Breathing

Controlled Expiration

ACBT/Huff Technique

OmniVR® Virtual Rehabilitation System

A Cochrane Review of exercise-based CR in people with coronary heart disease found that exercise-based CR reduced the risk of heart attack, all-cause hospitalization, and cardiovascular mortality.2 Additionally, CR utilizing interactive virtual reality (VR) resulted in less pain, improved walking, higher energy levels, increased physical activity, and improved motivation and adherence.3  The OmniVR Virtual Reality Rehabilitation System combines gamified exercise with VR through interactive, customizable, seated and standing activities. 

  • Seated: Knee AROM, leg strength (Picnic) 
  • Sit-to-Stand: Trunk control, leg strength (Bingo) 
  • Balance and Gait: Dynamic balance, multidirectional gait (Mole, Flower Garden) 
  • Gait: Ankle/hip/stepping strategies (Walking the Dog) 
  • Upper Extremity: Sitting/standing balance, timed UE motion, functional reach (Carnival) 

OmniCycle™ Advanced Active-Assist Cycle

The 2020 American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) clinical practice guideline for patients with heart failure specifically recommends cycling as a mode for aerobic and high intensity interval training.4 ACP’s OmniCycle Connect Advanced Active-Assist Cycle has innovative motor-assist technology and customizable exercises for patients with upper- and lower-extremity challenges. Paired with the OmniTour Virtual Exercise Experience, patients can enjoy an immersive VR cycling experience that motivates them to train more often and with greater effort. 

  1. Huzmeli, I., Ozer, A. Y., Akkus, O., & Yalcin, F. (2022). The results of inspiratory muscle training on cardiac, respiratory, musculoskeletal, and psychological status in patients with stable angina: A randomized controlled trial. Disability and Rehabilitation, 
    1–12. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2022.2146767 ↩︎
  2. Dibben, G., Faulkner, J., Oldridge, N., Rees, K., Thompson, D. R., Zwisler, A. D., & Taylor, R. S. (2021). Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation for coronary heart disease. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 11(11), CD001800. 
    https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD001800.pub4 ↩︎
  3. García-Bravo, S., Cuesta-Gómez, A., Campuzano-Ruiz, R., López-Navas, M. J., Domínguez-Paniagua, J., Araújo-Narváez, A., Barreñada-Copete, E., García-Bravo, C., Flórez-García, M. T., Botas-Rodríguez, J., & Cano-de-la-Cuerda, R. (2021). 
    Virtual reality and video games in cardiac rehabilitation programs. A systematic review. Disability and Rehabilitation, 43(4), 448–457. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2019.1631892  ↩︎
  4. Shoemaker, M. J., Dias, K. J., Lefebvre, K. M., Heick, J. D., & Collins, S. M. (2020). Physical Therapist Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Individuals With Heart Failure. Physical therapy, 100(1), 14–43. https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzz127  ↩︎

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease in the US. It is caused by plaque build-up in the coronary arteries, which slows blood flow. The most common symptom of CAD is chest pain. However, many people don’t have symptoms and only find out they have CAD after suffering a heart attack. With February being American Heart Month, it’s an opportune time to highlight the importance of cardiac rehab (CR) in supporting heart health and managing CAD.

Journey Beyond Recovery with the OmniTour™ Virtual Exercise Experience

Journey Beyond Recovery with the OmniTour™ Virtual Exercise Experience 

We are excited to announce the launch of our newest technology, the OmniTour™ Virtual Exercise Experience. OmniTour is an innovative virtual reality-based system that boosts patient engagement, improves outcomes, and optimizes care delivery through immersive cycling experiences. By seamlessly connecting with multiple OmniCycle® Connect devices, OmniTour enables group therapy options that make rehabilitation more fun, effective, and efficient. 

OmniTour Features & Benefits 

OmniTour leverages the powerful, immersive nature of virtual reality (VR) to deliver a better patient rehabilitation experience while helping clinicians optimize care delivery. Here are just a few of the key features that make it a game-changing addition to your rehab gym: 

  • Tour Movies: Patients can cycle through over 100 virtual routes across the world, from Amsterdam’s canals to the Grand Canyon, motivating them to train more often and with greater effort. 
  • Memory Lane: Patients can journey back in time with archival photos, cycling through cities from the 1930s to the 1990s. 
  • Photo Albums: Themed image libraries offer additional engagement options, including a “Guess the Picture” mode to challenge patients cognitively. 
  • Group Therapy Options: OmniTour connects with up to four OmniCycle Connect devices via Bluetooth, enabling group therapy sessions that improve care efficiency and encourage valuable patient socialization. 

Enhance the Patient Experience with Virtual Reality 

Incorporating VR into rehabilitation can deliver significant patient benefits: 

  • Increased patient engagement and motivation1 to participate in treatment 
  • Longer, harder, and more intense training sessions 
  • Enhanced mood and reduced apathy2 
  • Optimized treatment efficiency through more skilled time and opportunities for dual-task training 

Tap into the Benefits of Group Therapy 

OmniTour’s group therapy capabilities offer benefits to both patients and facilities: 

  • Improved patient self-care performance when paired with individual treatment3 
  • Increased patient satisfaction with their therapy sessions3 
  • Reduced feelings of isolation through socialization and connection 
  • Better engagement through healthy competition 
  • Optimized resources while maintaining high-quality care 
  • Enhanced real-world skill application through more complex training environments 

Upgrade Your Rehabilitation Program & Deliver Better Patient Outcomes with OmniTour 

OmniTour has the potential to help skilled nursing facilities tap into the power of virtual reality, provide more engaging interventions, and ultimately achieve better patient outcomes. By combining the physical benefits of cycling with the cognitive and emotional engagement of virtual experiences, OmniTour offers an exciting approach to rehabilitation that addresses the whole patient. 

  1. Kizmaz, E., Telli Atalay, O., Çetin, N., & Uğurlu, E. (2024). Virtual reality for COPD exacerbation: A randomized controlled trial. Respiratory Medicine, 230, 107696. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmed.2024.107696  ↩︎
  2. D’Cunha, N. M., Nguyen, D., Naumovski, N., McKune, A. J., Kellett, J., Georgousopoulou, E. N., Frost, J., & Isbel, S. (2019). A mini-review of virtual reality-based interventions to promote well-being for people living with dementia and mild cognitive impairment. Gerontology, 65(4), 430-440. https://doi.org/10.1159/000500040 ↩︎
  3. Luchynsky, M. K., Ashbaugh, K., Bowser, A., Campisi, E., Gleixner, M., Heinbach, B., & Snak, A. (2023). Efficacy of utilizing the group mode of treatment delivery in OT for skilled nursing facility settings. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 77(Supplement_2), 7711510267p1. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2023.77S2-PO267 ↩︎

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