You've been at your desk for some interminable amount of time when you feel the urge to stand up and stretch. Without much thought, you place your feet on the floor, then with the nerves and muscles of the legs, hips, and feet working together, find yourself in a vertical position. A little stretch, perhaps a run to get a fresh cup of some tasty beverage, and feeling refreshed, you return to your sitting position at your desk.

That's how it works for many of us. Sitting for hours without a change in position can be as fatiguing as standing for hours without a break, but for people living with spinal cord injuries, standing can be a distant memory, and for people born with neurological challenges such as spina bifida or cerebral palsy, it can be a seemingly unobtainable goal. 

  

For people who are free of contraindications (certain skeletal issues or blood pressure problems), there is help. The EasyStand Evolv E3 Standing Frame is designed to help users with mobility issues stand in a supported upright position. Either with a caregiver's help or independently, the user transfers from the wheelchair to the Evolv's seat and places their feet in the foot plates. Then, after a few pumps of a lever or the touch of a button, the seat raises the user to a standing position. An adjustable knee pad and seat cushion keeps the legs and hips in proper alignment while a tray and optional straps help with balance.

Depending on the style of frame, the Evolv can support a user up to 6'10" and 350 pounds. Different seats and seat backs create a custom fit for the user. All frames come with locking castor wheels. A mobile option that is suitable for users who can pilot a manually propelled wheelchair is also available. 

Health experts believe that people need to stand for 120 minutes a day to keep their bodies functioning at an optimal level, even if it's in short bursts. Incorporating a stander into the daily routine of a person with mobility issues enables them to do so while helping to maintain bone density, enhance circulation, respiration, and elimination. Standing helps develop upper body strength, and keeps hip, knee and ankle joints flexible while going a long way to prevent muscle constriction or spasticity. 

The benefits aren't just physical. Psychological benefits of working with a stander include enhanced alertness, and an increased sense of independence and self-esteem as well as a sense of relaxation that comes from any change of position.