Learn How The Freedom Bed™ Helps Reduce Complications of Long-Term Immobility for those with Muscular Dystrophy

Muscular Dystrophy is an overarching name for a group of diseases that cause significant loss of muscle mass and progressive weakness. The degradation of muscle originates from abnormal genes that stop healthy proteins from forming muscle, developing a series of symptoms including trouble breathing, swallowing and losing the ability to walk.

The disease can affect different muscle groups at different stages of life for many people, depending on the specific form of muscular dystrophy. There are over 160 conditions that fall under the umbrella of Muscular Dystrophy including Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Friedreich’s Ataxia and Pompe Disease to name only three.  Muscular Dystrophy can affect anyone at anytime regardless of their age, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. The disease can develop with little warning or evidence of familial history, possibly because of spontaneous gene mutation.
Many signs and symptoms begin around the age of 2-3 and can include trouble walking and running, frequent falls, muscle pain and stiffness and difficulty getting up.  Becker muscular dystrophy is very similar to that of Duchenne, however it progresses more slowly and symptoms can begin to develop in the mid-20’s. Because muscular dystrophy involves the loss of muscle mass and progressive weakness, some people eventually lose the ability to walk and require the help of a wheelchair. Further, the shortening of muscles and tendons around joints can limit one’s mobility even further as the disease progresses.

The many challenges of muscular dystrophy reach further than inherent mobility. Some complications associated with various stages of muscular dystrophy can include:

 Pressure ulcers/injuries (bed sores)

 Advanced muscle wasting

Respiratory complications such as pneumonia

 Bone demineralization

 Difficulty swallowing and breathing

Aside from medical complications, one of the biggest hurdles people struggle to overcome is the loss of independence and a sense of individual identity.  The Freedom Bed, designed and built by ProBed Medical Technologies Inc., is a fully customizable, computer-controlled kinetic therapy system developed specifically to assist in the automatic repositioning of bed-users without the intervention of family caregivers or institutional staff.

The complications associated with these conditions can result in rapidly rising medical costs for the individual in addition to the added health risks.The Freedom Bed™ helps overcome many of the complications associated with immobility and helps mitigate rising medical costs. - See the cost vs. benefits

Rotating Medical Bed For Muscular Dystrophy

The Freedom Bed is proven to contribute  positive changes in the general well-being of its users. As well as reducing pain it significantly reduces  the likelihood of developing bed sores and helps to reduce the incidence of breathing problems caused by muscular dystrophy.

The Freedom Bed features a lateral rotation system that helps smoothly and silently turn the user from side to side following a custom turning schedule. It also features the added benefits of an air-powered torso and leg raising system that helps improve circulation with Freedom Bed-specific air cushions located between the mattress and the three-part platform. This system is beneficial for all users but is especially ideal for those who experience considerable pain and discomfort in their legs and those with pulmonary issues.

The Freedom Bed™ benefits people with Muscular Dystrophy by:

 Automatically turning the body, providing pressure relief and a reducing the incidence of bedsores.

 Offering significantly better sleep quality

 Permitting the user to remain living in a home setting, rather than in an institution or hospital

 Significantly reducing pain

 Improving respiratory health and clearance of oral secretions

 Providing up to 40° raised torso positioning for bed users who are tube fed

 Requiring substantially less assistance from family/caregivers

Muscular Dystrophy can have a profound impact on the lives of the people it affects both physically and mentally. The Freedom Bed, from ProBed Medical, provides major benefits in restoring the dignity and independence of individuals affected with the disease, as well as combatting medical complications and helping to sustain a more fulfilling quality of life. We invite you and your loved ones to reach out to one of our qualified representatives to discuss how ProBed Medical’s Freedom Bed can help you.