A tilt table is for patients who can't yet tolerate being upright. A standing frame is for patients who can, but need support to stay there long enough for it to do any good. Most neuro and acute rehab services end up needing both. Which one you buy first depends on where most of your caseload sits on that path.
What a tilt table does
The patient transfers lying down, is strapped in, and the table raises them in controlled steps. You choose the angle and can drop them back down fast if blood pressure falls or they become symptomatic. That control is the whole point. It suits people after long bed rest, spinal cord injury, severe brain injury or a stay in ICU, where orthostatic intolerance is the barrier to everything else.
The features that matter day to day are electric tilt and electric height (so transfers happen at a safe working height), adjustable footplates, hoist clearance underneath, and a CPR quick release on hospital models. A few examples from the current range:
- The CubicHealth Tilt Table 2 Section has electric tilt from 0° to +85°, electric height from 59 to 104 cm, a backrest that adjusts separately, and foot plates that angle from +20 to -10 degrees.
- The Healthtec Tilt Table 1 Section tilts from 0° to +80° with electric height from 60 to 100 cm, and takes an optional plantar/dorsi flexion footplate.
- The Hocoma Erigo V4 Pro adds robotic stepping while the patient is upright, synchronised with up to eight channels of functional electrical stimulation, with verticalisation up to 90° and leg loading adjustable from 0 to 100%.
The evidence for early tilt in very unwell patients is still building. A Danish randomised feasibility trial in severe traumatic brain injury gave patients in a neuro ICU 20 minutes of head-up tilt to 70° with robotic stepping, Monday to Friday for four weeks. Of 38 participants, the intervention group received 74% of planned sessions, and adverse events were no different from standard care. The authors call it feasible and say larger trials are needed, which is a fair summary of where the field is.
What a standing frame does better
Once a patient can tolerate upright, the goal changes from getting them up to keeping them up, often and for long enough. That's where a standing frame earns its place. Sessions can run longer with less hands-on clinician time. Many frames also work at home as well as in the gym. A working tray means the time upright can double as upper limb or cognitive practice.
Dosage is the question clinicians ask most. A 2015 systematic review by Paleg and Livingstone in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders recommends standing for 30 minutes, five times a week, for a positive effect on most outcomes. For bone mineral density and mental function they suggest up to 60 minutes, four to six times a week. The strongest evidence was for range of motion and activity, mainly in stroke and spinal cord injury. Evidence for bone density was mixed, and the authors note most studies were small.
On the standing frame side of the range:
- The STRUZZO StandUp 400 lifts the user by harness with an electric fully assisted lift, has hydraulic height adjustment and a large working tray, and suits users from 140 to 200 cm tall up to 140 kg.
- The STRUZZO 500 Up&Go models add a powered base, so the user can move around while standing.
- For people who need movement while upright rather than static standing, Innowalk offers motor-assisted dynamic standing.
You can see every model in the standing frames collection.
Side by side
| Tilt table | Standing frame | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Patients who can't yet tolerate upright | Patients who tolerate upright but can't stand unsupported for long |
| Starting position | Lying down, raised gradually | Sitting, lifted to standing |
| Clinician time | Hands-on for the whole session | Mostly set-up, then supervision |
| Control over angle | Precise, in degrees, quick to reverse | Upright or near-upright |
| Footprint (examples) | About 194 x 64 cm (CubicHealth 2 Section) | About 104 x 75 cm (STRUZZO StandUp 400) |
| Typical setting | Hospital, ICU, inpatient neuro | Sub-acute and community rehab, aged care, home |
Matching it to your caseload
Acute hospital and inpatient neuro. Start with a tilt table. If early verticalisation with stepping and FES is a program priority, look at a robotic option like the Erigo.
Sub-acute and community neuro rehab. Most services in this group need both. The tilt table handles new admissions and anyone who deteriorates, and the standing frame handles the daily standing program once tolerance is there.
Aged care. A standing frame with an assisted lift is the more common fit, because residents can stand regularly without a long hands-on session each time. Check that the lift method works with your hoist and transfer policies.
Home and NDIS. A standing frame is the usual home item. Tilt tables are rarely a home purchase. Under the NDIS, assistive technology between $1,500 and $15,000 per item is mid-cost and needs written advice from an allied health practitioner or other AT advisor. Items over $15,000 are high-cost and need an assessment report from a qualified AT assessor plus a quote that includes delivery, installation and training. NDIA-managed participants must buy from a registered NDIS provider, while self-managed and plan-managed participants can buy from any supplier. Our NDIS page explains how ordering works for each plan type.
Space and installation
Allow room for a transfer on at least one side, plus the path of your hoist. A tilt table is close to two metres long, so measure the bay with the door open and the hoist in place. Most electric models need a nearby power point, and some offer a battery back-up so a session can finish if power drops.
Plan for lead times. Some tilt tables are produced to order and leave the factory in 6 to 8 weeks, and the STRUZZO StandUp 400 is listed at 16 to 20 weeks. If you're timing a purchase to a new ward or a budget year, that matters.
Rehab Technology delivers Australia-wide. Local technicians cover capital cities and larger centres, and remote sites get a planned technician visit for installation and service.
What it costs
Prices below were listed on the product pages on 1 Nov 2026 and can change. The tilt tables collection runs from $3,895 ex GST for the CubicHealth 2 Section to $22,500 ex GST for a Healthtec hi-capacity slide top table with built-in weight scales. Robotic systems like the Erigo V4 Pro are quote-only. On the standing frame side, the STRUZZO StandUp 400 is quote-only and the STRUZZO 500 Up&Go is $17,595 ex GST. Check the product page or ask the sales team for a current quote.
Frequently asked questions
What is a tilt table used for in rehabilitation?
A tilt table moves a patient from lying to upright in controlled steps. It's used when orthostatic intolerance stops someone standing, for example after long bed rest, spinal cord injury, severe brain injury or ICU. The clinician sets the angle and can lower the patient quickly if they become symptomatic.
What's the difference between a tilt table and a standing frame?
A tilt table starts the patient lying down and raises them gradually, with precise control over the angle. A standing frame starts them sitting and lifts or supports them into standing. Tilt tables suit people who can't yet tolerate upright. Standing frames suit people who can, but need support to stand for long enough.
How long should someone stand in a standing frame?
A 2015 systematic review (Paleg and Livingstone, BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders) recommends 30 minutes, five times a week, for most outcomes, and up to 60 minutes, four to six times a week, for bone mineral density and mental function. The treating clinician should set the program for each person.
Can the NDIS fund a standing frame?
The NDIS can fund assistive technology that relates to a participant's disability and helps with their plan goals. Items between $1,500 and $15,000 need written advice from an AT advisor such as a physiotherapist or OT. Items over $15,000 need an assessment report from a qualified AT assessor and a quote.
How much space does a tilt table need?
Allow for the table itself (close to two metres long and 64 to 71 cm wide on the models above), transfer space beside it and your hoist path. Most electric models also need a nearby power point.
References
- Paleg G, Livingstone R. Systematic review and clinical recommendations for dosage of supported home-based standing programs for adults with stroke, spinal cord injury and other neurological conditions. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 2015.
- Riberholt CG et al. Early orthostatic exercise by head-up tilt with stepping vs. standard care after severe traumatic brain injury is feasible. Frontiers in Neurology, 2021.
- NDIS. How to buy mid-cost or high-cost assistive technology.
Talk to a Specialist
If you're weighing up a tilt table against a standing frame, or fitting out a new neuro gym, the sales team can help you match the equipment to your caseload and space. You can also see how we plan whole rooms on the clinic setups page. Talk to a Specialist.
