New biofeedback system supports better learning, comfort and progress tracking

EFFINGHAM, Ill. — HSHS St. Anthony’s Physical Rehabilitation and Wellness is introducing new advanced therapy technology for pelvic floor rehabilitation. This addition helps expand treatment options and supports better outcomes for those who need pelvic floor and neuromuscular rehabilitation.

HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital’s pelvic floor rehabilitation team, working with the Rehab and Wellness department, recently acquired the EMYO 200B Series, a surface electromyography (sEMG) biofeedback system. This technology shows muscle activity in real time. Patients can see when muscles tighten and relax, which helps them learn how to control those muscles more effectively.

The rehabilitation team is using the EMYO 200B to support pediatric patients who need neuromuscular and pelvic floor rehabilitation. For many kids, the visual feedback makes therapy easier to understand and more engaging.

To further support children and families, HSHS St. Anthony’s also created a dedicated pediatric treatment space at its Physical Rehabilitation and Wellness location in the Richard E. Workman Sports and Wellness Complex. The space is designed to feel calm and supportive, helping reduce anxiety and create a more positive therapy experience.

“This new system gives children clear, real-time feedback, so they can connect what they feel with what their muscles are doing,” said Leah Passalacqua, Physical Therapist. “It helps us set goals, build skills and track progress in a way that is easy to explain and measure.”

In addition to pediatric use, the EMYO 200B can be adapted for adult patients, allowing therapists to incorporate real-time muscle feedback into functional and core strengthening activities. This flexibility allows patients to work on muscle coordination and control during movement and exercise—even in a gym setting—while maintaining a high level of privacy, as feedback is provided discreetly and not visible to others.

The EMYO 200B is especially helpful for patients with:

  • Dysfunctional voiding and urinary incontinence such as problems with starting urination, not emptying the bladder fully or leaking urine.
  • Pelvic floor dyssynergia when the pelvic floor muscles tighten when they should relax
  • Chronic constipation related to poor pelvic floor coordination
  • Core weakness and neuromuscular control challenges

By using interactive, goal-based feedback, the system can improve engagement and support motor learning, coordination and muscle awareness. The technology is used along with skilled therapy care and can help track progress objectively over time.

For questions about the treatment or referral requirements, contact HSHS St. Anthony’s Physical Rehabilitation and Wellness at 217-347-1243.

For more information about HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital, visit  stanthonyshospital.org.

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About HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital
HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital, Effingham, celebrating 150 years of serving the Effingham community, is part of Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS), a nonprofit Catholic health care ministry founded in 1875. Dedicated to our Mission to reveal and embody Christ’s healing love for all people through high-quality Franciscan health care, HSHS clinicians provide exceptional care centered on the whole person. Based in Springfield, Illinois, HSHS employs nearly 11,000 colleagues who provide care in 13 acute-care, children’s and critical-access hospitals and home health and hospice programs in Central and Southern Illinois and Eastern Wisconsin. HSHS is aligned with more than 1,000 primary and specialty physicians and advanced practitioners through its owned affiliates HSHS Medical Group and Prairie Cardiovascular and its partnership with Prevea Health. For more information about HSHS, visit hshs.org.