A Vision Beyond Traditional Rehab
When Dr. Dayna Pool founded The Healthy Strides Foundation in Perth, WA, she set out to change the way rehabilitation was delivered, especially for children and young adults living with neurological conditions like cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury, and stroke. As a researcher, clinician, and advocate for family-centred, evidence-based therapy, Dayna knew that real outcomes came from more than just repetitions. They came from motivation, engagement, safety, and innovation.
Healthy Strides was built on that belief, and it shows. Healthy Strides offers intensive therapy blocks grounded in the latest clinical research, and they’ve become a national leader in neurological paediatric rehab. But Dayna and her team don’t just follow best practice. They push it forward.
The Search for Something Better
In 2021, the team began exploring new technology that could take therapy outcomes even further. They wanted a system that supported natural, overground movement, allowing kids to move freely, safely and with confidence.
They turned to Rehab Technology to help assess the options, and one solution stood out above the rest: ZeroG, a robotic body-weight support system from Aretech that provides dynamic support and intelligent fall protection while children walk, balance, squat, and play in an open, functional space.
From First Steps to Full Impact
In May 2022, Healthy Strides became the first paediatric rehab centre in Australia to install ZeroG. Mounted to a customised ceiling track, the ZeroG robot allowed therapists to deliver high-repetition, high-challenge therapy in a way that was safer, more engaging, and far more versatile than conventional equipment.
The response was immediate. Once hesitant children began to move with greater confidence. Therapists were able to push their clients further, without putting their bodies at risk and parents saw their children enjoy the freedom of movement that ZeroG enables.
Scaling Up to Meet Demand
As the benefits became clear, demand for the system grew fast. By 2023, the team had decided to extend the track and add a second ZeroG robot, giving more children access to the technology and allowing for even more dynamic therapy across multiple programs.
This expansion also enabled dual-user sessions, team-based activities, and greater scheduling flexibility, allowing therapists to deliver creative, personalised therapy without limits.
Taking Rehab to the Next Dimension
Later that year, Dayna and her team began exploring what was next. That next step was ZeroG 3D, an advanced upgrade that adds lateral, diagonal, and rotational movement to the system. With ZeroG 3D, kids could now side-step, pivot, and turn, just like they do in real life. For children developing the skills needed to move independently in complex environments, this was a breakthrough.
The ZeroG 3D was installed in November 2024, creating the most advanced paediatric rehab clinic in the country.
Innovation with Heart
At the heart of this is a leader who refused to accept "good enough." Dr. Dayna Pool has built something different at Healthy Strides, an environment that fuses science with play, intensity with joy, and clinical excellence with compassion. Her model of care is family-centred, research-driven, and outcomes-focused, setting a new standard in paediatric neurorehabilitation.
As she puts it:
"ZeroG has changed the way we deliver therapy. Our kids are moving more and achieving more. The freedom and safety it offers is a game-changer."
A Partnership That Powers Progress
From the initial search for the right system in 2021 to the latest ZeroG 3D install in 2024, Rehab Technology has supported Healthy Strides every step of the way, from product selection and layout design to installation, training, and ongoing support.
More than a supplier, Rehab Technology is a long-term partner. Together with Healthy Strides, Rehab Technology is proving that with the right technology and the right people behind it, kids can achieve more than anyone thought possible.
