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INNOVATION FOR INDEPENDENCE
ISSUE 81 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 11 £6.95
Wheelchair eye control device revealed By Dominic Musgrave RESEARCHERS at the University of Bradford have unveiled new technology which allows disabled people to control their electric wheelchairs by simply moving their eyes. The breakthrough could help severely disabled people who up until now have not been able to move independently. This research, led by Dr Prashant Pillai, developed a unique eye controlled robot last year. But, after months of completely rewriting the software involved, they have now discovered how to apply this to an electric wheelchair and have made huge improvements to the technology. Prashant said: “We really had to go back to the beginning to make the technology work for electric wheelchairs. “We are really excited by how well our prototype is working and have managed to reduce the reaction time from when the eye movement takes place down from a few seconds to just a few milliseconds – which will feel instantaneous for the user. We have also made the headset completely wireless.” The technology works by the user wearing a tracking device on their face - like a pair of glasses – which has a small camera on it. The camera sends a signal to a central unit via
infra-red LEDs, precisely tracking eye movement right down to the exact position of the iris, which then relays the message to the electronics of the wheelchair. Users simply look in the direction they wish to travel and the wheelchair responds. Developed by the Future Ubiquitous Networks research team from the University's School of Engineering, Design and Technology, which is led by Professor Fun Hu and Prashant, the system has been named IRIS – Intelligent Recognition for Interactive Systems. Prashant added: “There are further opportunities to develop the technology to other electrical items in the home, and potentially removing the need for a headset completely, allowing wall mounted cameras in the user's home to pick up eye movement and wirelessly relay instructions to the technology used. “The longer term aspiration is to work towards a fully assisted home, where a user could just look at their television, lighting or music equipment to switch it on.” The team now intend to refine the technology further, then consult with disability groups to carry out user testing. They are hoping to attract external investment to allow them to further develop it and take it to market.
PC David Rathband officially opened the bi-annual Naidex Scotland in Glasgow. He also signed copies of his recently launched book Tango 190 in which he describes in his own words the night he was shot by gunman Raoul Moat, his recovery and how he set up the Blue Lamp foundation, the aim of which is to support members of the emergency services who have been injured in the line of duty.
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Unfair mobility aid sale practices revealed in report By Dominic Musgrave THE OFT has ssued a warning about traders that use unfair sales practices to sell mobility aids such as scooters, stairlifts and adjustable beds to the elderly and disabled in their home. The report has revealed that last year Consumer Direct, the OFT-managed advice service, received 4,500 calls from people complaining or asking for advice about mobility aids. It has found that elderly and disabled customers who are subject to high pressure sales techniques from doorstep traders can pay high prices for mobility aids. The report also highlighted the stress and inconvenience caused when customers are misled into making an inappropriate and expensive purchase. As part of a national consumer awareness campaign, the OFT is encouraging people to shop around and understand their rights when buying mobility aids from doorstep traders. Colin Brown, director in the OFT Goods and Consumer Group, said: “With so many different mobility products available, it can be difficult to know whether you're buying the right item and what price you should
be paying. “It's important that people aren’t pressurised into making a hasty decision that could leave them out of pocket or with an item that’s not what they need. “This campaign aims to help people have the confidence to say no if they're unsure about what’s being offered or want to take the time to discuss their needs with a family member, friend or trusted healthcare professional.” The report adds that many traders treat their customers fairly but some use high pressure sales tactics that encourage people to make snap decisions without comparing prices or checking to see if the product is the right one for their needs. Director general of the British Healthcare Trades Association, Ray Hodgkinson MBE, added: “This shows the importance to consumers of the Code of Practice that we have agreed with the Office of Fair Trading. “People buying from firms that are members of the BHTA know that the supplier is governed by that code of practice. It is in the interest of firms to make sure that their potential customers are aware of the code and
Contacts Editorial Andrew Harrod Group Editor editorial@assistivetechnologies.co.uk Dominic Musgrave Healthcare Editor Email: dm@whpl.net Tel: 01226 734407 Christina Eccles Reporter Email: ce@whpl.net Tel: 01226 734463
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Ray Hodgkinson
that they are buying from a BHTA member. “This gives consumers a good degree of protection and enhances the reputation of the business.” The BHTA plans to amend its Code of Practice to require members to display actual prices and price ranges, to address the concern expressed by the OFT that there is a lack of price advertising on the internet and in marketing materials which inhibits customers' ability to shop around in order to identify products that represent good value for money.
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Research to create mind controlled arm RESEARCHERS at two universities have begun a landmark experiment which if successful could see a cutting-edge robotic arm controlled by mind power alone. Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory in Maryland and the University of Pittsburgh will begin testing on spinal cord injury patients whose brains have been implanted with a tiny (2mm by 2mm) electrode array. Program manager at the APL, Michael McLoughlin, said: “When a neuron fires, an electrode will pick it up the signal will travel to a transmitter and it will be transmitted to a computer in the arm which then interprets that signal and converts it into a motion.
natural limb, offering 22 degrees of motion, including individual finger movement. The APL was awarded the contract to develop and test the arm on human subjects in 2010 as part of the $100m Revolutionizing Prosthetics program run by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Touch sensors in the fingers and the palm will also pick up vibrations, temperature and surface textures, according to Michael, although tests on these will not start until next year.
“It's a really exciting point in the program. We’ve been working on getting to this point for the past five years.”
Michael said: “The results of this program will help upper-limb amputees and spinal cord injury patients, as well as those who have lost the ability to use their natural limbs, to have as normal a life as possible despite severe injuries or degenerative neurological disease.”
The Modular Prosthetic Limb weighs around nine pounds - the same as a natural arm - and comes close to the dexterity of a
The ultimate goal is for the system to be wireless with everything contained in the body, much like a pacemaker, he added.
The lab at Salford University.
New course to train professionals using game technology By Christina Eccles A NORTH West university has secured £300,000 from the European Union to take technology widely used in the games and movie industries to the health care professions. The new Masters in Clinical Gait Analysis at University of Salford will train physiotherapists and clinical scientists to use gait analysis equipment to examine people who have difficulty in walking and interpret the results to provide more effective treatment. Though originally developed almost 30 years ago for healthcare, the gait analysis technology struggled to become widely adopted. Instead it was seized upon as a quick way of creating animations – notably in computer games and movies – and has become much more advanced and widely re-adopted for medicine. Despite this, there is no specialised training in the use of the equipment – a lack which Salford’s new course is designed to solve. The course, which will be developed 4
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throughout the next year ready for 2013 admissions, will sit alongside a large portfolio of gait analysis at the University headed by professor Richard Baker. He said: “This grant acknowledges Salford’s position as a European leader in clinical movement analysis and our commitment to becoming a centre for excellence. Providing training in this area will help bring a far better standard of treatment to people with walking difficulties.” The University’s facilities are already used by local surgeons and professional sports teams to treat walking problems and improve an athlete’s speed and, as similar facilities become more common in medical settings, the course will provide skilled operators. It will be developed alongside two other leading centres in gait analysis: VU University, Amsterdam, and the Catholic University, Leuven, Belgium. The grant has been awarded by the EU’s Lifelong Learning Programme.
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Formula One team supremo answers teenager’s request By Dominic Musgrave A TEENAGER who was born without a left hand has been fitted with a prosthetic one with the help of a Formula One team. Reading School pupil Matthew James wrote to Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn, who also attended the same school, explaining how his current prosthetic hand only allows him to perform basic tasks with a simple open and close grip mechanism. He also described that his target now was to be able to afford a more functional prosthetic arm, and he already had in mind a specific model: The i-LIMB™ Pulse, developed by Touch Bionics. Ross and the team were so moved by his letter that they got in touch with Matthew and his dad, Robert, while a technical representative from the team contacted Touch Bionics to start discussions. Matthew said: “My previous arm had two sensors located at the end,
which literally pick up the impulses of the muscles in my lower arm. It is a simple ‘open and close’ mechanism, like a claw.
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“The new hand, the i-LIMB™ Pulse, has five individual motors in each finger and therefore each finger can move individually. “While it is an open/ close mechanism as well, it has different modes and settings which you can use to change the ‘opening mode’, so for example you can go from operating all fingers to using two and it locks the other three.” Touch Bionics and Mercedes have established a positive relationship and, in exchange for access to technology services that have benefited its research and development team, the Livingstonbased firm offered its clinical services for his fitting free. To help Matthew raise £10,000 towards the remaining cost of the hand, the Formula One team is working closely with his family on their fundraising initiative.
Matthew with his new hand.
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New aid launched to help blind people walk with confidence NEWS
By Dominic Musgrave A NEW mobility aid designed to make it easier for blind and visually impaired people to walk around with confidence has been launched. A team of entrepreneurs led by electronics engineer Dr Paul Clark, director of Sound Foresight Technology Ltd, pooled their expertise to revive and improve an award winning device, originally sold worldwide until 2008, when the previous owners of the company went into receivership. The patented UltraCane™ works by warning users of obstacles ahead of them, both in their path and at head height. The handle of the white cane is a handset fitted with transmitters and sensors. Buttons in the handle vibrate when the sensors detect that an object is near. The strength of the vibration indicates the proximity of the object, helping the user to walk around the obstacle easily and independently. Dr Paul Clark, whose company, Comms Design Ltd, undertook the redevelopment of the software and
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electronics, said people in the UK and overseas had indicated their interest in using the product, particularly to improve their independence and safety. He added: “It is particularly gratifying to be able to be part of an all British invention with the potential to improve the lives of blind and visually impaired people around the world. “UltraCane™ is an all round British success story – it has been developed, manufactured and brought to market in this country and we are very proud to be a part of it.” The earlier version of the UltraCane™ was well received by visually impaired users around the globe, but the entrepreneurs saw that redeveloping the device to incorporate state of the art technology could refine the way it detected obstacles and make the tactile feedback more precise. UltraCane™ was developed by mimicking the echo location of bats which use wide ranging ultrasound to build a ‘spatial map’ of their surroundings, allowing them to effectively, ‘see’ in the dark.
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The new UltraCane.
Professor Brian Hoyle from the University of Leeds, one of the original inventors, added: “This is just one of the many products that scientists and engineers are developing which have been inspired by nature. “I am especially pleased that visually impaired people would once again be able to benefit from ‘biomimetics’,
which is the transfer of materials and techniques developed in nature over millions of years to 21st century technology and engineering”. The UltraCane™ is currently being exhibited at Germany’s Natural History Museum in the ‘Patents of Nature’ exhibition in Munster and will be on display there until June 2012.
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Quadraplegic scales Snowdon for spinal cord injury charity By Dominic Musgrave A MOUNTAIN climber who was left quadraplegic after breaking his neck in a swimming accident has raised thousands of pounds for charity by scaling Mount Snowdon. Tim Severn from Sutton Coldfield was joined by 12 friends for Back Up’s Snowdon Push, which challenged teams to take a wheelchair user to the summit of the mountain and back. Telford-based spinal cord injury charity Complete Group, who Tim is a client of, provided sponsorship support for the team, which included Robert Montgomery, one of its personal assistants, who works with him. With members of Tim’s team pulling his wheelchair from the front and pushing from behind, the group reached the summit of Snowdon in three-and-a-half
hours and completed the round trip time in six-and-a-half. They finished 11th out of 16 teams taking part and raised around £4,500, which will help to fund activity courses run by Back Up. Tim said: “Given our minimal training, fitness levels, stop at the top and leisurely descent we were very satisfied with our achievement. “I’ve never been more proud of a group of friends and was touched when told by various members that it was the best and most rewarding thing that they had ever done. We and Back Up are also extremely grateful for the support of the Complete Group.” Back Up works with people affected by spinal cord injury, providing services including wheelchair skills training, support in getting back to work or school and activity courses.
The team at the summit of Mount Snowdon.
Advertiser’s Announcement
Award winning spinal care ASPEN Medical Products Inc has been awarded ‘Best New Technology for Spine Care’ at the 2010 Spine Technology Awards. The Vista Thoracic Stabilizer (Vista TS) received first place in the Best New Technology in Cervical Care. Twenty three companies submitted medical technologies to be judged on originality, clinical relevance, and the likelihood of improving the current standard of care. Eight awards were presented at the gala. The panel of six judges included private and academic spine surgeons. Geof Garth, VP of research and development, said: “Being recognised as the best new technology for spine care for the second year in a row is something that Aspen Medical Products is very proud of. “We recognised a need in the marketplace and the Vista TS was the product that resulted. “Spinal injuries are devastating, so preventing any additional
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injury during the early stages of care can make a huge difference in a patient’s outcome. The design of this new product allows it to be applied and fit to a patient, without delay. “Like many great products, in it’s final iteration, it looks very simple, very obvious, but it took a lot of good thinking to make it to reality.” The Vista® TS from Aspen® has multiple adjustment points to ensure a comfortable, effective fit for the vast variety of patient anatomies. Like the Vista® Collar, the Vista® TS (two post) is fully adjustable and only one size is required, reducing inventory costs and keeping patient care the main priority. The Vista® TS is also available in a four post to offer greater stabilisation to the patient, and you the clinician the greatest versatility when dealing with cervical-thoracic problems in today’s cost conscious healthcare environment.
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Recovering Afghan soldiers climb Kilimanjaro for pyschological study By Dominic Musgrave A GROUP of soldiers recovering from serious injury as a result of their service in Afghanistan took part in a psychological study as they hiked to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. The research will assess the psychological benefits of taking on a unique physical challenge and examine how those benefits might contribute to a person’s overall sense of wellbeing as they recover from physical trauma. It is being carried out by Dr Shaunna Burke, a lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology at the University of Leeds. Shaunna, an expert mountaineer who scaled Everest in 2005, climbed alongside the group and interviewed them at intervals during the hike and at the summit. The research forms part of a larger expedition to Mount Kilimanjaro organised by the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation in Edmonton, Canada. Around 40 people, including doctors, professionals and business
people will be attempting the climb alongside the soldiers to raise money for the hospital’s new Orthopaedic Surgery Centre. Shaunna, a Canadian national, was invited to join the expedition to carry out the study. She said: “We want to look at how the experience and achievement of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro can shape the recovery and sense of wellbeing of individuals who have gone through serious injury, or who have undergone joint replacement surgery. “There has been a lot of emphasis on the positive effects of regular, structured types of exercise on everybody’s day-to-day physical and psychological wellbeing, but there is little research to explore the potential benefits of less structured, more demanding physical pursuits. “We want to better understand how difficult goals - activities that take people outside their comfort zone contribute to their psychological health.”
Among the soldiers taking part in the climb are Corporals Mark Fuchko, a tank driver from Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) and Dallas White, of the 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, both of whom sustained serious injuries while on duty in Kandahar province.
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In 2008 Mark’s tank struck an improvised explosive device and he was severely injured, eventually losing both legs below the knee. Dallas was critically injured in 2010 while on patrol, two days before he was due to return home. A friend stepped onto a hidden trigger, setting off an artillery shell that had been buried in the dirt. The blast killed his friend and Dallas sustained muscle loss in his left leg and damage to his left arm. Shaunna hopes her research will ultimately be useful in designing programmes for recovery and rehabilitation for patients recovering from serious physical injury or illness.
A soldier takes a break during the Kilimanjaro expedition.
New unit to research arthritis treatments PATIENTS across the North West and beyond are set to benefit from a new national research unit based in Manchester which will investigate the treatment of arthritis and other diseases affecting the joints and muscles.
highly regarded Musculoskeletal (MSK) Research Group, and have successfully applied to the National Institute for Health Research for almost £5m to set up a nationally recognised unit to extend the group's work.
The Manchester NIHR Biomedical Research Unit will be run in partnership by Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and The University of Manchester.
Led by Professor Deborah Symmons, the team of researchers and clinicians will pioneer new methods of assessing early response to treatment in adults and children with MSK disease, new ways of
The partners already have a
preventing rheumatoid arthritis and its complications, new therapies for arthritis and new resources for patients to help them achieve the best response to treatment.
weeks of disease.
Deborah said: “Our research theme is, ‘Treating arthritis: right first time’. By understanding why some patients respond to certain treatments and others do not, we will be able to ensure that patients get the right treatment for them from the earliest
“The benefits for patients are significant: fewer cases of rheumatoid arthritis and its complications, and effective treatments given earlier in the course of disease with fewer side effects leading to better disease outcomes for the most common forms of arthritis.”
“Indeed, in the case of rheumatoid arthritis, we believe that we will be able to prevent the disease developing in people who are at high risk.
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SCP PREVIEW
Conference heads to Harrogate THE theme for the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists annual conference is ‘Keeping You on Your Feet’. The event, which this year is being held in Harrogate from November 24-26, will address key issues such as osteoarthritis and associated dermatological pathologies, biomechanics with orthosis or in a general podiatry setting with debridement, along with topical medicaments or surgery. All aspects of the profession can be seen to influence these common and sometimes forgotten podiatric complaints. Speakers confirmed include renowned consultant in sports medicine Dr Nick Webborn, consultant orthopaedic surgeon Mark Loeffler and Paralympic gold medallist Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.
Fringe meetings Fringe meetings are an important facet of the conference, and currently booked are: Hyperhidrosis – Hyperhidrosis support group. Assistant practitioners/ orthotic technicians. R&D student research network
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meeting.
attending the Society’s social events?
Faculty hosting the event.
Private practice network facilitators.
These start with the welcome wine reception in the exhibition hall at the conference centre on the opening day from 5.45pm, which is an ideal opportunity to meet with exhibitors, delegates, Society staff and council members
It will be both a formal yet entertaining way to celebrate our combined achievements as a profession.
PASCOM – meeting the team. Podiatry lecturers. Health and safety.
Social events
What better way is there to finish off a day at the conference than by
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The first joint Faculty College of Podiatrists’ annual dinner will also take place, with the Dean’s from each
Also, students are invited to show off their skills in ‘Podiatry has Talent’, while the infamous, not to be missed, conference party has the theme ‘Hollywood Glamour’.
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Dame Tanni leads speaker list Speaker biogs
Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson Paralympic gold medal winner BARONESS Tanni Grey-Thompson is Britain’s greatest Paralympic athlete. She competed in five Paralympic Games, winning 11gold medals, and is acknowledged as one of the most gifted and courageous sportswomen of her generation. She currently works as vice chair of the Athletes Commission for London 2012, non-executive director of UK Athletics, as a UNICEF International Inspiration ambassador and sits on the board for Transport for London. In 2010 she was elevated to the House of Lords, to sit on the cross benches as a “people’s peer” with special interest in youth, health, sport and disability.
Mark Loeffler
Paralympics.
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
Dr John F. Grady
Mark Loeffler was medically trained at the London Hospital; post graduate training was at Whipps Cross, Addenbrookes, The Royal London Hospital, Colchester, the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and Auckland New Zealand.
Director, Illinois Institute for Foot and Ankle Surgery, Chicago, USA
Mark is currently service director for trauma and orthopaedic surgery and educational supervisor for the department and has published research on knee surgery, hip replacement design, prevention of thrombosis and x-ray templating. Nick Webborn Chief Medical Officer for Paralympics GB, University of Brighton Nick is currently Medical Director of The Sussex Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine at The University of Brighton and a Research Fellow of the Chelsea School, University of Brighton. He was a member of the London 2012 health advisory group presenting to the IOC evaluation commission and the Medical Advisory Group for LOCOG and now sits on the SEM workstream group for LOCOG and is Chief Medical Officer for Paralympics GB for the 2012
John was the recipient of the APMA 2010 Award of Excellence, the 2008 Midwest Distinguished Faculty Award, and the 2000 Alumnus of the Year Award from Rosalyn Franklin University. He has been performing foot and ankle surgery for 25 years. John currently does committee work for the ABPOPPM and is on the board of directors of the American Society of Podiatric Surgeons. Dr Jane Sterling Senior lecturer and honorary consultant dermatologist, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Jane’s interest in papillomavirus started with a Medical Research Council Training Fellowship leading to a PhD in molecular pathology of HPV in 1990 followed by MRC Clinician Scientist Fellowship. Since then, she has continued research in viral and vulval skin disease and has supported both dermatologists and gynaecologists in research projects.
Jane has written widely in the field of viral infections of the skin and vulval disease, with a particular interest in human papillomavirus. She regards skin warts as a challenge to be conquered and her recent television appearances on Embarrassing Bodies and Discovery Science USA have helped to heighten public awareness that warts are not always just minor aliments.
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Antony Wilkinson Consultant podiatric surgeon, clinical head of podiatric surgery, Doncaster PCT John has worked hard to develop his skills pushing the development of scope of practice in podiatric surgery. Antony is a registered tutor with the Faculty of Podiatric Surgery and has had a number of trainees through the department, both pre fellowship and post fellowship podiatrists. He has been involved in the political side of the profession, being elected to the Faculty Board four years ago and subsequently holding the position of regional chair of the Northern region, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Surgery and latterly Dean of the Faculty of Podiatric Surgery.
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NEWS
Company to deliver classes to help footballers avoid injuries A FIRM of Tees Valley fitness specialists has teamed up with a Premier League football team to help its players avoid the injuries that plagued its first team last season. Sunderland has invited private physiotherapy clinic, Body 2 Fit, to deliver weekly Pilates and yoga classes to the playing staff. The deal will see everyone from youth team players to star names take part in 30 minute body conditioning sessions at the club’s Academy of Light training complex. Sunderland's medical staff are determined to explore every possible avenue to prevent a repeat of the spate of injuries that derailed the club’s bid for European qualification last season. Body 2 Fit co-founder and director Robert White said some of the Sunderland players had initially been wary of the changes to their routine. He added: “Probably the hardest thing is to get men to accept that yoga or Pilates is for them. “Sunderland asked us to work with some of the first team last year and were so happy they invited us to roll it out to the whole club. “At the start there was no doubt that some of the players were a bit reluctant to get involved. “Most footballers are used to a particular routine, which typically involves running around, match
Robert White with Joy Feary.
practice and weights. But the more they stick at it I think they will start to see that it is beneficial for them and their careers. “It has been proven, for example, that working the smaller muscle groups around the centre of the spine can help to reduce the likelihood of things such as hamstring injuries. Getting that into the minds of the younger players is ideal as it becomes part of their regular work.”
The deal with Body 2 Fit aims to help the squad to understand how their bodies work and adopt new ways of strengthening muscles that may not respond to traditional training methods. The firm has recently invested thousands of pounds in new equipment from the US. It is being used at the studio by a wide range of clients from rowers and dancers to golfers who are looking to improve
their swing. And Joy Feary, co-founder of the business, became the region's only certified practitioner with a qualification from the Pilates Foundation to teach studio and equipment based pilates. She is part of a team which includes specialist physiotherapists, sports injury experts, podiatrists and personal trainers.
Physios trek to the moon for university charity challenge PHYSIOTHERAPISTS at Glasgow Caledonian University are trekking to the moon in a virtual challenge organised by Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland. The staff and students are among 200 people from the university who are joining a collective bid to cover
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238,857 miles; the equivalent distance between the earth and the moon. The walkers all have pedometers and will monitor their activity by ‘banking’ their miles as they walk, run or cycle. Other health care groups in Scotland,
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including cardiac, respiratory and stroke groups, are also contributing their efforts to the challenge – with patients also getting involved. “I think the imagery of getting a cardiac rehab group to the moon is a brilliant concept,” said Dr Morag Thow, lecturer in physiotherapy at
the University. “My cardiac rehab group in Glasgow are doing the Bridges Walk, which is a five mile walk round all the bridges on the Clyde. And lots of other groups have come up with different things to do, so it’s really taken off.”
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The team that reached the North Pole earlier this year.
Soldiers reach summit as they prepare for Everest attempt A TEAM of wounded servicemen have reached the summit of the world’s eighth highest mountain as part of their preparations to tackle Everest next year. Seven of the original nine members of the Walking with the Wounded team made it to the top of Manaslu in the Himalayas at the second attempt, after the weather forced them to abort their first summit push when thick snow made the climb too dangerous.
that the weather would play tricks on us and we would not reach the summit at all. “It was wonderful to see the team working so well, and moreover to see them climbing through areas that on our first rotation seemed difficult and caused some of the boys a few troubles. I knew as we steamed through Camp I and II, we were in with a chance to summit if the weather held.”
Two former soldiers were unable to make the final climb due to altitude difficulties
In May 2012, a group of wounded servicemen will attempt a lifechanging journey to the highest peak in the world, Mount Everest.
Expedition leader Russell Brice said: “It turned out to be a good year, even though we were first worried
Charity founder Edward Parker said reaching the summit of Manaslu was a critical event in the team’s
training schedule, and he, Russell and project manager Martin Hewitt will now select the team for next year. He added: “Summiting the world’s eighth highest peak just 800m lower than Everest, is a wonderful achievement for the team and embodies the spirit and tenacity of wounded servicemen and women all over the world. “While summiting Manaslu is an incredible individual achievement, this is only part of a build up to the big event. The team have some way to go before they will be ready for Everest.” The success follows the charity’s expedition to the North Pole earlier
this year, for which the team were joined for part of the way by Prince Harry. Their efforts were the subject of a two-part BBC documentary ‘Harry’s Heroes’, and the team was also recognised at the recent Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards. Walking with the Wounded aims to raise money to re-skill and re-train injured servicemen and women from the British Armed Forces. It also aims to raise a further £2m for identified education projects and training courses, which specifically account for both physical and mental injuries sustained by servicemen and women.
Tatiana celebrates with delivery AN American woman celebrated her 21st birthday by taking delivery of her new pair of ‘stubbies’ prosthetic devices from PACE Rehabilitation’s Cheadle, Cheshire clinic. When aged only four, Tatiana Slater contracted meningitis. Her parents took her to a Florida hospital to be fitted with full length prostheses. She said: “At the time, the doctors said that I would not walk again. However, when I was five I tried, by walking on my stumps, which was quite successful apart from the bruising it caused. “I found my prostheses uncomfortable and really didn’t get on with them. However, I persevered with them into my teens, until I found it more practical and comfortable to use ‘stubbies’ instead”. 14
‘Stubbies’ are short prosthetic devices, consisting of a prosthetic socket, with either a foot or rocker sole, but without a knee unit. Prosthetist Howard Woolley said: “Stubbies provide a bi-lateral above (or through) the knee patient with several potential advantages, compared to conventional (full length) prosthetic devices. “Due to their low centre of gravity, a user’s stability (and therefore safety) is improved. More importantly, less energy is required to use them. “One stubby was good straight away, but the other required some adjustments, which was a little frustrating. Tatiana’s scar tissue required careful management, in terms of the socket fit, but we worked well together to achieve a successful result.”
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The focus of the fourth annual Amputee Games was on using sport to aid rehabilitation. The Games have been designed to allow amputees who would like to get into sport the chance to go along and join the ‘have-a-go’ sessions. Over the weekend guests were able to participate in 13 different sports, including basketball, volleyball, tennis, cycling, rowing and fencing. The event is organised by Limbpower and supported by Blatchfords and The Boost Charitable Trust.
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Project to create arm to enable people to feel what they touch ENGINEERING researchers at four American universities are embarking on a four-year project to design a prosthetic arm that amputees can control directly with their brains and that will allow them to feel what they touch. The research at Drexel University, Rice University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Maryland is being made possible by a $1.2m grant from the National Science Foundation's Human-Centered Computing program. Rice University co-principal investigator Dr Marcia O'Malley said: “There's nothing fictional about this. The investigators on this grant have already demonstrated that much of this is possible. “What remains is to bring all of it non-invasive neural decoding, direct brain control and tactile sensory feedback - together into one device.” Marcia and her co-investigators on the project have previously demonstrated technology that allowed amputees to correctly perceive and manipulate objects with
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a prosthetic gripper based upon sensory feedback that was provided in a natural way to the remaining portion of their limbs. The team plans to incorporate technology that feeds both tactile information from the prosthetic fingertips and grasping-force information from the prosthetic hand via a robotic exoskeleton and touchpads that vibrate, stretch and squeeze the skin where the prosthesis attaches to the body. Marcia said the new technology is a big improvement on existing devices, which do not allow amputees to feel what they touch. She added: “Some state-of-the-art prostheses today use force-feedback systems that vibrate - much like the vibrate mode on a mobile phone - to provide limited information about objects a prosthetic hand is gripping. “Neuroprosthetic control is an important part of our project, but an equally important challenge is providing sensory feedback for contact tasks that are performed with the prosthesis.
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES I OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2011
Work begins to design a prosthetic arm that amputees can control directly with their brains.
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Yorkshire practice set to grow after move to new premises Physio Med, launched in Leeds in 2000, provides occupational physiotherapy services to major clients including Royal Mail, Waitrose, Rolls Royce and the Department of Work & Pensions. The company offers services including its Physiotherapy Advice Line (PAL) to employees, and claims its initiatives help businesses to reduce staff sickness absence levels and the associated costs, as well as boosting staff morale, performance and productivity. Now the company, which has annual turnover of more than £2m a year, employs 12 people and has a network of more than 2,000 chartered physiotherapists across the UK, has revealed fresh branding as it moves into new headquarters. Physio Med has invested £600,000 into converting the former Wheatsheaf Inn in Leeds. Renamed Chartered House, the 5,000 sq ft building includes extensive modern office space and treatment rooms.
Managing director Phil Clayton said: “This is the start of a new era for Physio Med. We have established a robust business over the last 11 years and the time is now right to take it to the next level.
NEWS
A YORKSHIRE physiotherapy practice has moved to new premises as it gears up for new growth.
“Our new branding communicates the close relationship we have with our clients - being in touch with the way they work. “We have spent a lot of time and money in creating our new HQ. The Wheatsheaf is easily accessible from the city centre and offers a great combination of office space and treatment rooms - which we want to make available to local businesses and individuals as well as our existing clients. This move will allow our continued growth without compromising on quality.” Former Bradford Bulls’ head physio Mark Fletcher is responsible for the clinical side of Physio Med and he believes that in the current climate businesses cannot afford to neglect staff’s health and wellbeing. He added: “What we do is work with businesses to ensure individuals receive appropriate physiotherapy
Physio Med’s management team, from left: Jake Fletcher, sales director; Phil Clayton, managing director; Mark Fletcher, clinical director and Nikki Harris, head of development.
treatment to return them to fitness and work as quickly as possible but in a cost effective way. “Through PAL - our telephone and web-based physiotherapy advice service - employees can be put in touch with a qualified physio within as little as two hours of reporting their injury or problem to their employer and we can then establish whether the injury requires a face-to-
face appointment or treated through the PAL service. “It is a clinically robust system which resolves a minimum of 65 per cent of injuries without the need for the more expensive ‘hands on’ treatment, thus making significant cost savings and returning staff to the job much more quickly. The health of employees is not something that employers can afford to ignore.”
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Oscar to deliver keynote speech SOUTH African Paralympian Oscar Pistorious will deliver the keynote speech at a one-day prosthetics sporting conference at Hampden National Stadium in Glasgow next month. Maria Miller MP checks out a product on her visit to Blatchford’s.
Prosthetics company put forward for project by MP MINISTER for the Disabled Maria Miller MP has nominated Blatchford for the Made by Britain Project, set up by the all Party Parliamentary Group on Manufacturing. Welcomed by Stephen Blatchford, CEO, and conducted on her tour of the factory in Basingstoke by technical director Saeed Zahedi OBE and operations director Robert Welsh, Maria spoke to a number of amputees who were testing prosthetic prototypes about the changes the new technologies, like microprocessor controlled knees and feet, make in enhancing their ability to take part in all the activities necessary to their lifestyles.
The products Maria looked at were the élan foot, to be launched early next year, which is a microprocessor controlled foot/ ankle which changes the ankle resistance and toe position to adapt to terrain and speed changes, and the Orion Knee, which is a microprocessor controlled knee that understands when the amputee is on a ramp or stairs and increases the resistance to flexion to stop the knee buckling. It also senses speed changes and revs up the pace or slows down accordingly, thereby enabling the user to freely walk in their chosen environment.
The event, which is being organised by University of Strathclyde’s National Centre for Prosthetics and Orthotics on November 11, is the second sporting prosthetics conference organised by the national centre, and will welcome delegates from all sports, rehabilitation and academic fields to hear inspirational and motivational speakers empower people to become more active and participate in sport and exercise. Also known as the ‘Blade Runner’, Oscar is the double amputee world record holder in the 100, 200 and 400 metres events, and runs with the aid of Ossur’s Cheetah Flex-Foot carbon fibre transtibial artificial limbs. As the London 2012 Olympic Games and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games approaches, the event aims to explore innovative concepts and examples of good practice in sporting prosthetics for the benefit of the prosthesis user. The conference will also provide a forum to examine the design innovations of sporting prostheses; the prosthetic and physiotherapy rehabilitation associated with sport; as well as the mechanisms by which people affected by disability can become involved in physical activity, exercise and sport. Key commercial partners will be
Oscar Pistorious
showcasing their rehabilitation and sports innovations at the dedicated conference exhibition. The unique event builds upon a growing research and knowledge exchange profile at the National Centre for Prosthetics and Orthotics known as SPEEAD (Sporting Prosthetics for Everyday and Elite Athletes with a Disability). The aim of SPEEAD is to benefit the prosthetics profession, the academic community and most importantly those who wish to become more active and participate in exercise and sports. With SPEEAD in its third year of activity, the National Centre is proud to be continuing collaborative partnerships with national and international academic, commercial and charitable partners.
Paralympic hopeful and prosthetist among speakers PACE Rehabilitation prosthetist Howard Woolley and Irish Paralympic cycling hopeful Colin Lynch will be among the speakers at the conference. Colin became PACE’s newest recruit, personifying what bespoke provision can provide. He had been training and competing on a ‘tired’ prosthesis, which he was also using for daily activities. Together, they will be providing a fascinating insight into the journey taken in creating a specialist prosthetic device that is contributing to Colin’s goal for Paralympic cycling success in 2012. Howard will outline the obstacles which they have had
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to overcome and the creative solutions that have been applied to provide Colin with an optimal and efficient device. The pair will explain how through the use video capture and data logging equipment on Colin’s racing cycle, they have constructed a prosthetic device that is contributing to significant gains in Colin’s performance. Since collaborating with PACE, Colin has projecting himself to World Champion (UCI Paracycling, C2 category), netting world records and medals along the way. A practical demonstration of Colin in action with the bespoke device will conclude the presentation.
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Heated gloves designed to ease the pain RAYNAUD’S is a common condition in which blood is prevented from reaching the extremities of the body, mainly the fingers and toes, on exposure to the cold or any slight change in temperature. It is reported to affect one in five people. Up until recently there has been very little to assist sufferers from the effects of this painful and debilitating condition. Individuals have tried in vain to heat up peripheral regions while allowing them to continue with their occupations and activities of daily living. Orthotix has worked in partnership with an experienced manufacturer of outdoor clothing to design a glove which effectively heat up the sufferer’s hands and still allow the hands to be functional while having the gloves donned.
The glove is made from the very latest materials and lined with a carbon fibre matrix to ensure it provides the optimum benefit for the wearer.
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Heat is distributed through the matrix and is powered via a small rechargeable battery located in a pocket on the wristband of the glove. Battery recharging is achieved in the same manner as a mobile phone, thus ensuring the simplest of use. Orthotix has achieved excellent results from their initial trials with the gloves and are now receiving an increased number of daily enquiries from occupational therapists, physiotherapists and many more healthcare professionals. The heated gloves are now exclusively available through Orthotix Sports & Orthopaedic Bracing.
Exerciser inspires Tim to get back to full fitness USING inclusive equipment to exercise at home could be key to enabling a person living with a disability to take the first steps to leading an independent life. When you live with a disability, getting to and from the gym can be a challenge and time consuming. Confidence levels can also often be low in the initial stages of living with a disability and attending a gym can be a daunting task. In these circumstances, working out privately at home to gain strength and confidence first can be the motivating step a person living with their disability needs to start their road to fitness. This is certainly true of 27-year-old Tim Hart from Essex, who suffers from Friedreich’s Ataxia, an inherited disease where the nervous system does not allow messages sent out from the brain to travel as quickly as they need to the muscles. This slow muscle response results in a lack of control over the body’s muscles and movement in general takes a lot longer.
Celebrity chef Michael Caines MBE officially opened Port-er’s inaugural exhibition for people with mobility challenges and their carers, as a showcase for modern, innovative product designs and services.
Tim’s condition means he is in a wheelchair and his disability has been further complicated by also developing Scoliosis.
He opened the show with an engaging and inspiring talk about how he came to lose his arm, and his journey to becoming the household name he is today. Other talks included a presentation from Jim Bonney of Adventure Rehab, ability technology group Dorset Orthopaedic and an inspiring talk from Port-er trustee Colin Edwards about his Coastal Way challenge. However, the biggest twist in the day was when a team from Channel Five’s new programme ‘Celebrity Wishlist’ turned up. It has been created to raise funds and awareness for some of the most deserving and unsung charities throughout the UK. The show is due to air on November 14 at 7.30pm.
He underwent corrective spinal surgery for the Scoliosis to insert a metal rod, which subsequently failed, snapping in half while in position. After several painful operations to correct this, Tim was left with very little fitness as the intense pain around his spine meant he was
unable to keep up with his usual gym routine. Sadly, not being able to work his muscles also made the Friedreich’s Ataxia worse as regular exercise can help to keep it under control. This lack of exercise led to Tim gaining weight and lacking in confidence to attend the gym and so instead he decided to create his own gym at home. He said: “Visiting the gym has become like a long and tedious task and, with my fitness as it is currently, I don’t really like going. “Also, as I need to exercise everyday to get my fitness and strength back up to where it was before the spinal surgery, it just made sense to create a small workout area at home. “I selected the SCIFIT PRO1 Upper Body Exerciser as its suitable for use with a wheelchair and is Inclusive Fitness Initiative accredited so its is really easy to use. I try and use the PRO1 every day: 45 minutes in morning, 25 minutes in the afternoon before doing some weight training and then a 15-minute sprint in the evening. “I’ve noticed that even after only a couple of weeks my upper body strength and general cardio fitness has really improved and this is motivating me to get back to my full fitness prior to the spinal injury.” SCIFIT is one of the UK’s leading suppliers of specialist cardio fitness machines, including the PRO1 Upper Body Exerciser.
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A Teesside University lecturer is preparing to play a key physiotherapy role at the London Olympic and Paralympic Games. Dominic Musgrave reports.
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Julie set for an Olympic hat-trick NEXT year will be Julie Sparrow’s third Olympic experience as a physiotherapist and she has also worked at four Commonwealth Games.
special.”
She has worked as a senior lecturer in physiotherapy at the University since 2001.
Over 750 physiotherapists are expected to be volunteering their services to help the London Organising Committee of the Olympics Games and Paralympic Games deliver the best service to the world’s best athletes.
At the London Olympic and Paralympic Games she will be part of an elite team of ‘physiotherapy trouble-shooters’ ready to respond across the venues to ensure the needs of athletes from around the world are met.
Julie, who previously worked as a HQ physiotherapist with Team GB at Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000, will be based in London for a sevenweek period, covering the run up to the Olympics and the conclusion of the Paralympics.
Julie said: “I remember very clearly the day London was announced for 2012. I was sat watching it on my computer at the University and ran around the landing so excited.
In Atlanta the former PE teacher was based with the diving and fencing teams, while in Sydney she worked with the rowers and saw Sir Steve Redgrave clinch his fifth Olympic gold.
“The way I feel about the Olympics being here next year is indescribable, I think it’s going to be absolutely fabulous. “I’ve spoken to cabbies in the capital and they’re really looking forward to it, they’re very proud of their city. I’ll be able to see whatever there is to see, if you are behind the scenes what you get to view is even more
“That was such an amazing day,” added Julie. “I was on the waterside working with the rowing team and I was able to watch them come off the water after the victory. “They were away from the crowds and cameras, carrying their boat with medals hanging proudly from their necks. That was a privileged position
Julie Sparrow will be working at her third Olympics next year.
to be in and so emotional. “It was my ambition when I came into teaching that I would have graduates working at the Olympics. Sarah McDonnell, a Master’s graduate has worked at the Winter Olympics with the bobsleigh team and Alistair Little and Rob Smart,
who was in the first cohort I taught, will be at London.” Julie has also worked at the last four Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, Manchester in 2002, Melbourne in 2006 and Delhi last year.
Advertiser’s Announcement
Atlantic Rim Spinal Bracing distributed by DeNovo Healthcare Ltd DENOVO Healthcare are committed to our philosophy of providing quality service and choice and represent market leading international orthotic and prosthetic manufactures in the UK and Ireland. Providing a high quality cost effective orthoses to clinics quickly is paramount to achieving successful outcomes. One such supplier we represent is the Atlantic Rim Mfg Corporation who, over many years, has developed its manufacturing skills to enable it to specialise only in the production of prefabricated and custom made spinal braces. This unique area of specialisation
allows Atlantic Rim to pursue its core values of comfort precision and perfection, enabling the company to produce a brace which fits the needs of the patient and in a consistent time span which is not available from other manufacturers. How is this achieved? The company has a large warehouse which houses a library of 5,000 spinal brace moulds which are catalogued measured and stored on a data base and can be cross referenced to a patient’s details. The mould can then be modified and a new mould milled on state of the art C.A.D. C.A.M. milling
equipment. Due to the fact the company only specialises in spinal bracing it has a wealth of knowledge which helps it to overcome many of the problems associated with the materials used in the drape moulding of larger items. This means the quality levels of the finished product are of a much higher standard.
and, with the use of a low cost hand held scanning device, to download the digital information via the internet.
In addition to this the company can accept measurements in several ways to suit the needs of the practitioner.
Average leads times for bespoke orthoses of less than a week enable the practitioner to maintain a weekly clinic. We believe the service provided by Atlantic Rim is unique in both its delivery and outstanding quality.
However, the most reliable transmission of information is to take a corrected cast of the torso
This instant transmission of information will allow the company to produce a brace very quickly and ship it back to the practitioner over night by DHL.
Comfort – Precision – Perfection These are core values Atlantic Rim commit to when they manufacture a brace for you. For further information please contact us at: sales@denovohealthcare.com Tel: +44(0)1934 808416 www.denovohealthcare.com 20
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A lower-limb prosthetic developed at an American university allows amputees to walk without the leg-dragging gait characteristic of conventional artificial legs. Dominic Musgrave found out more.
New device features ankle and knee joints operating in unison THE Vanderbilt device uses the latest advances in computer, sensor, electric motor and battery technology to give it bionic capabilities, and is believed to be the first prosthetic with powered knee and ankle joints that operate in unison. It comes equipped with sensors that monitor its user’s motion. It has microprocessors programmed to use this data to predict what the person is trying to do and operate the device in ways that facilitate these movements. Craig Hutto, a 23-year-old amputee who has tested the legs the university has developed for several years, said: “When it’s working, it’s totally different from my current prosthetic. A passive leg is always a step behind me. The Vanderbilt leg is only a splitsecond behind. “Going up and down slopes is one of the hardest things to do with a conventional leg. So I have to be conscious of where I go because I can get very tired walking up and down slopes. “But that won’t be a problem with the powered leg because it goes up and down slopes almost like a natural one.” The bionic leg is the result of a seven-year research effort at the Vanderbilt Center for Intelligent Mechatronics, directed by Michael Goldfarb, professor of mechanical engineering. Key aspects of the design have been patented by the University,
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which has granted exclusive rights to develop the prosthesis to Freedom Innovations. Michael said: “With our latest model, we have validated our hypothesis that the right technology was available to make a lower-limb prosthetic with powered knee and ankle joints. “Our device illustrates the progress we are making at integrating man and machine.” Recent technological advances have allowed the Vanderbilt engineers to produce a device that weighs about nine pounds – less than most human lower legs – and can operate for three days of normal activity, or 13 to 14 kilometres of continuous walking, on a single charge. They have also dramatically reduced the amount of noise that the latest model makes, although it is slightly louder than they would like. One of the latest capabilities the engineers have added is an anti-stumble routine. If the leg senses that its user is starting to stumble, it will lift up the leg to clear any obstruction and plant the foot on the floor. “As you add greater capability, you are also adding greater liability,” added Michael. “Not only does the controller have to perform individual operations reliability, but it has to perform several operations at the same time and not get confused.”
Michael Goldfarb with Craig Hutto and the new leg.
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Krissi Daly Sadler joined Adventure Rehab‘s family weekend to see the positive effect multidisciplinary rehabilitation can have.
Climbing and raft building are just two of the activities that take place during the Adventure Rehab weekend near Taunton.
Offering an alternative approach to rehabilitation after trauma ADVENTURE Rehab has gone from strength to strength over the last year, and this summer saw the first of what will hopefully be many family weekends. It was held at Outposts Adventure Centre near Taunton. Their programmes run throughout the year and consists of a three-day assessment course followed by a six-month rehabilitation programme that includes five residential weeks spread throughout the period. During this time the clients have on hand a host of professionals; physiotherapists, psychologists, doctors, councillors, coaches and mentors. Occupational therapists and prosthetists also join the clients
during the assessment process. Company director Jim Bonney said a common obstacle the team are facing is that Adventure Rehab is only for those patients who are fully comfortable on their prosthesis. He added: “Adventure Rehab is open to every patient, regardless of confidence or injury level. “Whether they have been using their limb for a week or for years, they will gain something from the course. “The only thing the patient needs to bring with them is a sense of adventure - the fully trained team at Adventure Rehab will provide the rest. The programme is designed to challenge the client both physically and mentally.
“Even in this short period of time mindsets begin to change from ‘I can’t do that’ to ‘I am not sure how I am going to do that, but I will give it a go and find a way’.” The idea behind the family weekends is to get the patient’s whole family involved in the rehabilitation process. The week was planned out with a variety of activities from team building exercises to open canoeing. Having heard Jim deliver talks about the company and their ethos on a few occasions I felt I knew what to expect when I arrived. I couldn’t have been more wrong, what I was met with was a group of people that you would have thought had been friends for years and just going away on a weekend
Firm and charity join forces to launch centre solutions, such as knee braces and other advanced technology applications.
an ever-increasing health issue affecting millions of people worldwide.
To address this important area of research, Arthritis Research UK is establishing the Össur-supported EOTC, which will test novel treatment and rehabilitation approaches for the condition.
The first of its kind, the centre will be based in a single UK institution with expertise in clinical studies of osteoarthritis interventions. Researchers will evaluate various characteristics of people suffering from OA, including imaging studies, gait analyses and other biomechanical investigations, in order to better assess its mechanisms of action and identify the most appropriate intervention to relieve patients’ pain and restore mobility.
“It is our hope that our collaboration with Arthritis Research UK and the EOTC will yield important research that deepens both our understanding of OA and the best biomechanical solutions for treating this progressive, debilitating condition.”
The centre's research is expected to particularly focus on biomechanical
Ossur president and CEO Jon Sigurdsson said: “Osteoarthritis is
OSSUR has joined forces with a leading charity to provide research funding to support the establishment of a new experimental osteoarthritis treatment centre in the UK. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of joint disease, causing pain and stiffness in joints and affecting over eight million people in the UK.
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The multiyear funding provided by Össur will support the EOTC’s operational infrastructure. UK universities and hospitals wishing to submit grant proposals for establishing it at their institution must do so by November 2.
together, not a group of people that had never met before or a group of people who quietly had their own reservations as to whether they would be able to complete all of the challenges of the weekend. Regardless of injury level everyone got involved, those that were more confident helped those that were not and the children led the way in every activity – except when the time came to build the rafts, which was obviously a job for the boys. What Adventure Rehab are doing is not new by any means. Jim, Richard and their team are taking the best they have experienced in their rehabilitation through Headley Court and are offering it to the open market.
Vegas launch for products UPPER limb prosthetic technology provider Touch Bionics has revealed new and upgraded products at the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association National Assembly in Las Vegas. Key developments include the ilimb™ ultra, an upgraded version of its flagship prosthetic hand solution, and virtu-limb™, a prosthetic training and simulation tool. Also introduced at AOPA, living image is an imaging system that accurately captures the colour and appearance of limbs for the creation of the livingskin® range of passive silicone prostheses.
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KIDS
Computer games which help young people with cystic fibrosis cope better with treatment, and improve monitoring of their condition, are being developed by the University of Derby. Dominic Musgrave found out more.
Games help people to cope better CYSTIC fibrosis is a life-threatening, inherited disease which affects more than 9,000 people in the UK. Internal organs, especially lungs and the digestive system, clog with a thick mucus which makes it hard to breathe and digest food. Half of those with cystic fibrosis don't live past their late thirties. University experts have developed four prototype computer games designed to help young people with the condition cope better with the difficult daily exercises they do to expel mucus from their lungs. The games will also aid in monitoring lung efficiency. Dr David Day, senior lecturer and teaching fellow in the School of Computing and Mathematics at the University, has a four-year-old daughter, Alicia, with cystic fibrosis. He said: “Children need regular physiotherapy so they can expel the mucus clogging their lungs, otherwise it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria which could make them sicker. Physiotherapy includes things like lightly pummelling the chest or back of the person. “We also use a Positive Expiratory Pressure (PEP) mask, which fits over the face and makes it harder for them to breathe out, so they will push up the mucus from the bottom of their lungs and cough it out. Children find PEP treatment difficult, unpleasant and boring, and it can be hard to get them to do it." The Derby researchers fitted the PEP mask with a device that converts the child's breaths into electronic signals. By controlling their breathing pattern,
Dr David Day, former senior lecturer and Teaching Fellow in the School of Computing and Mathematics at the University of Derby, with his four-year-old daughter Alicia, who has cystic fibrosis and University computer games specialist Dr Andreas Oikonomou. To the left is one of the developed games onscreen.
they can control characters onscreen in the computer games.
children should be able to play at the easiest levels.”
The technology is a development of the way paraplegics use breathing tubes to control powered wheelchairs and other electronic aids.
The researchers will now apply for additional funding to provide test versions of the games to 10 young people, aged from six to nine, to trial the games and device to get some feedback from users.
University computer games specialist, Dr Andreas Oikonomou, added: “By keeping a record of how well the player does in the computer games, a medical consultant can chart the efficiency of their lungs. The games’ flexibility means even pre-school
The original £55,000 funding for the project came from the University; a Collaborative Research and Development grant from the Healthcare and Bioscience iNet,
which is funded by the East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund; and a European Union Innovation Fellowship grant. The University's Faculty of Arts, Design and Technology; and its business-to-business arm University Derby Corporate (UDC); also helped develop the project. The researchers now hope to develop this into a product which can be made widely available.
Funding donation helps Institute build children’s mobility vehicle HEALTHCARE provider Simplyhealth has donated more than £42,000 to Bath Institute of Medical Engineering for its children’s fun mobility aid product. Developed by a team of engineers at the charitable institute, the Wizzybug is a powered vehicle for disabled children to experience early years’ mobility. Tony Husband, commercial manager at the BIME, said: “With the funding we will be able to continue to provide Wizzybugs to more children with limited mobility. 24
“The Wizzybugs have a range of controls and seating adjustments. They can be used with adult supervision indoors and out, in accessible areas such as level gardens, playgrounds and parks, enabling children to have a fun experience with their ‘first Wheels’.” Mark Day, spokesperson for Simplyhealth, added: “The Wizzybugs, designed by the team at the Institute, is a fantastic concept and we hope our donation will help the team to continue to provide and to develop this innovative children's mobility aid.”
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PODIATRY
sponsors podiatry
Salford forum will have a focus on sports podiatry DELCAM will host a second Orthotics Technology Forum at Salford University next year. The event on July 12 and 13 follows on from the success of the initial one in Bath earlier this year, and will again cover new technologies and processes designed to assist practitioners and laboratories in prescribing, designing and manufacturing custom orthotic insoles. With the Olympic Games due to be held in the UK in 2012, the Forum will also include a strong focus on sports podiatry. Delcam is currently contacting international speakers that are leading the way in developing and using different types of technology, including hardware devices to help measure biomechanical features, pressure and anatomical form, and CADCAM tools for plasterless manufacture, as well as new ideas
for increasing productivity and reducing manufacturing costs. The programme is set to be as varied and educational as this year’s event, showing the latest technology that is currently being used in the design and manufacture of orthotic insoles as well as what may be on the horizon. The aim is to provide another opportunity for delegates to see a wide variety of innovative technologies from a combination of diverse organisations. As part of the focus on sport, the Forum Dinner will be held at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium. There will also be the opportunity for delegates and speakers to network during the evening to share their experiences with colleagues from around the world.
Cath helps kit out homeless with shoe appeal A PODIATRIST has launched a new charity to get homeless in St Helens back on their feet - with the help of a Premier League footballer. Director of Comfystep Chiropody Services, Cath Hughes is hoping to help homeless people with their foot problems and kit them out with new shoes for the winter. The Twinkle Toes Appeal will mean local people can donate good quality shoes or trainers to a number of drop off points in the borough. In November, Cath and her team of volunteers will provide free podiatry and chiropody treatments to the homeless. The foot specialist has also enlisted the help of Wigan Athletic’s Emmerson Boyce. She said: “I have always wanted to launch something like this, for as long as I can remember I have thought about helping the homeless in some way. “Now I have the time to do it and have everything in place to go ahead. It’s a project that I am hoping runs for as long as possible.
“I was keen to roll it out across Wigan and St Helens as I wanted to keep it local, I wanted to give Wigan people the chance to help but I have also been asked to launch the charity across Manchester and further afield.” Twinkle Toes asks for a donation of a decent pair of shoes that are waterproof and are not damaged which will see a homeless person through the winter months. Cath added: “We don’t want shoes that people wouldn’t wear themselves, they have to be good quality. We also don’t want any UGG boots as they are not waterproof, or no heels. “The people that live on the streets have a lot of problems with their feet, for a start, they can’t cut their toe nails which is vitally important. “Some have trauma to the feet, particularly if they are drug takers or alcohol dependent and some people may have circulatory and hygiene problems. I intend to help these people with these problems.”
Elevated walkway plan for new unit A NEW £250,000 podiatry unit at a hospital on the Isle of Wight features an elevated walkway to enable staff to analyse patients' walking styles. And in order to support podiatry patients and other people on the
island who take little exercise, Isle of Wight Health has launched a new programme to encourage people to go for walks. The scheme takes place on the first and third Wednesday of every month and lasts 90 minutes.
Our new-look features sections give you the opportunity to advertise your business on a page designated to your own specific field:
Podiatry, Sports Rehab and Children To find out more ring Christine Daly-Sadler on 01226 734412 26
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES I OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2011
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sponsors sports rehab
Tennis star uses equipment as part of regime THE country’s leading female disabled tennis player is using the COMPEX Mi Sport as part of her rehabilitation programme. The machine was recommended to Lucy Shuker, from Fleet in Hampshire after she was diagnosed with a 6x7mm progressive tear to a tendon in her forearm, which was her first injury she had suffered since taking up the sport. The injury forced her to withdraw from the Australian Open Grand Slam and put her out for a further five months of competition - which included the USA tour, Europe, World Team Cup and Roland Garros. Lucy told Assistive Technologies she hoped it was something she would never go through again. “Being a T4 paraplegic, my arms are my legs, so to speak, so completely resting my arm was impossible as I use them 24/7,” she added. “My injury was thought to be down to overload, so appropriate loading of the isolated tendon was tough too. “I’m using my COMPEX to help train and strengthen other weaker areas, for example, in my shoulder blades where I’ve had significant muscle imbalances. And now I am back competing again, the
COMPEX Mi Sport unit travels all round the world with me to maintain and increase my strength especially in my forearm to help prevent any future injuries. “I firmly believe that it has been a fundamental part of my rehab and has enabled me to get back to my tennis training and competition and has helped me win the first few tournaments I have competed in since my injury.” In June, Lucy returned to competition notching up impressive successes, winning the Women’s Singles at the Slovakia Open, both the Singles and the Doubles at the Canada International Championship and the Doubles at the PTR Championships. She competed in her first Paralympic Games in Beijing 2008 and is hoping to win a medal in London next year. Physiotherapist Robert Hill, who recommend the equipment to Lucy, added: “The main aim of using the COMPEX initially was to use the muscle strengthening programme to put a very controlled amount of strain on the muscle with the initial tear to assist its repair and regeneration. “As Lucy's capability improved we then used the COMPEX to prepare
Lucy Shuker is shown how to use her COMPEX Mi Sport by COMPEX Sports physiotherapist Cliff Eaton.
her arm for the type of movements and positions that she needed to perform on the tennis court. Throughout the whole rehab process, the machine was allowing Lucy to work hard in a totally controlled and pain free environment.” Lucy was first encouraged to take up tennis by leading player Peter Norfolk following her rehabilitation
from a motorbike accident which left her paralysed from the chest down in 2001. He sold her one of his company’s specialist wheelchairs and she made rapid progress through the various levels of the sport. She is now firmly established in the world’s top 10 in both women’s singles and doubles on the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour.
Technical service provider unveils London Paralympics team OTTO Bock has unveiled its technical service provider team for next year’s Paralympic Games. Throughout the event the company will provide a team of 80 technicians that will play a pivotal role in ensuring the athletes are able to perform to their fullest potential. The team will provide athletes with immediate repairs for prosthetics, orthoses and wheelchairs, operating
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out of three repair centres in the athletes’ village, nine workshops across the venues and one mobile unit. The operation will be headed up by a group of experienced logistical and operational managers with many years of Games’ experience, who will oversee the delivery of technical services to the approximate 4,200 athletes expected to compete. Professor Hans George Nader, president and CEO of Otto Bock
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES I OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2011
Healthcare, said: “All athletes competing at the London 2012 Paralympic Games can be confident that whatever their technical needs, they will be understood and expertly looked after by our leadership team and technicians working throughout our workshops.” The main workshop in the Paralympic village will open a week before the opening ceremony. Nine tonnes of equipment will be unpacked and
assembled in two days to ensure the it is open before the start of competition to take care of any adjustments to equipment required following transit, as the athletes make their final preparations. This will be Otto Bock’s 12th Paralympic Games and the team will oversee as many as 2,000 repairs for athletes from over 120 countries; coordinate 15,000 spare parts; and replace 2000 wheelchair tyres.
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Athlete aims to compete at next year’s Paralympics By Dominic Musgrave A DETERMINED athlete has set his sights on competing for Team GB at next year’s Paralympics just four years after a car crash left him with a severe spinal injury. Scott Steele is undergoing a gruelling training regime in the health club at Chase Park Rehabilitation Centre in the North East in a bid to make one of the regional disabled rowing clubs and then stand a chance of qualifying for the national team. The 22-year-old from Gateshead is aiming to become one of the UK’s top 50 disabled rowers to compete in the single skull event and then eventually take his place alongside the elite members that make up Team GB’s Paralympics’ rowing team. Whickham Villa LLP, which operates Chase Park Rehabilitation Centre, Millfield House Care Home and
Whickham Villa health club in Gateshead, has partnered with serious injuries Irwin Mitchell Solicitors to support Scott with club fees, sponsored kit and free access to the rehabilitation centre’s fitness resources and expert staff. Scott, whose injury left him disabled back in 2007 and requiring several operations and sustained rehabilitation treatment, said: “I am determined to represent the North in Paralympics’ rowing and am working very hard to achieve this goal. If not in 2012, my dream still remains to fly the flag for the North and of course Team GB on the international stage. “I also hope my approach to actively living my life inspires others to face their fears and get involved with sport regardless of their disability.” Scott currently undertakes five sessions a week with one of
Whickham Villa Health Club’s dedicated personal trainers to build his strength and endurance to be able to compete at the highest level. He also trains at Durham rowing club, although this has been hampered by a lack of adaptable equipment to funding cuts. Scott added: “As disabled rowing is not a mainstream sport, the facilities at Durham are pretty limited. “Our aim is to hopefully raise awareness of the sport and secure some funding to get the type of specialist equipment that is only currently available in Teesside, which of course is not ideal for those like me based on Tyneside.” Alongside his love for rowing, Scott has also recently begun a degree in Law at Northumbria University in Newcastle.
Fitness machine to aid injured soldiers’ recovery given to hospital A BIRMINGHAM hospital has been presented with a state-of-the-art fitness machine to aid the recovery of soldiers wounded in Afghanistan.
The machines, which normally retail for over £4,000 each, are designed
Gold medal winner speaks at conference Joining him at the event were Chris Holmes MBE, director of Paralympic integration for the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and Geoff Holt MBE, disability sports ambassador and former chairman and trustee of RYA Sailability.
Emma Batchelor, clinical specialist in physiotherapy at the hospital, said: “It’s ideal for our patients because it provides a low impact workout, ensuring exercising is comfortable and the amount of stress placed on the ankles, knees, hips and spine is limited.
“It’s excellent for strengthening and conditioning, enabling patients to exercise a variety of muscle groups. Plus, general fitness is really good for managing overall health and wellbeing, further aiding recovery.”
Scott Steele
PARALYMPIC gold medal swimmer Peter Hull MBE was among the speakers at a conference held at Southampton University.
The Stourbridge-based division of Versaclimber UK has donated one of its Versaclimber Sportsmedical models to the Queen Elizabeth centre to help all physiotherapy patients regain their muscle strength, among which will be British military personnel injured on deployment in the Middle East.
“We have used this machine with military patients who have lower limb injuries because it enables us to isolate and exercise the upper parts of the body.
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The aim of the conference was to ensure people make the most of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, as well as the legacy that will follow, and are prepared for the increased interest in disability sports. Emma Batchelor, clinical specialist in physiotherapy at Queen Elizabeth Hospital with Neil Kelford, managing director of Versaclimber UK and Anne Vickerstaff. to work all muscle groups, and will thereby allow physiotherapy patients to rapidly build up strength during their recovery. The Queen Elizabeth hospital opened last year in Edgbaston, Birmingham,
and incorporates the new Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, which provides medical support to the military’s operational deployments and provides training for the forces’ medical staff, as well as a 30-bed military ward for injured soldiers.
The event also featured workshops based on elite and recreational standard participation and opportunities, facilitated by experts in their fields focusing on: ‘Breaking Down Barriers’, ‘Facilities and Equipment’ and ‘Making the Most of London 2012’.
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES I OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2011
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PRODUCTS
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NEXT GENERATION OF TREATMENT FOR FLACCID PARALYSIS DROP FOOT
INTRODUCING THE DYNAPRO™ TORTICOLLIS ORTHOSIS
ORTHOTIX’S comprehensive range of sports and orthopaedic bracing now includes the revolutionary Boxia ® ankle foot orthosis for flaccid paralysis drop foot sufferers. Manufactured using the latest generation of fabrics and elastomers it is comfortable, cosmetic and discreetly provides full functionality. The Boxia ® device consists of two separate components; a cuff situated above the ankle and a non-slip hook section placed between the footwear’s tongue and laces/Velcro straps. These sections are connected by an elastic strap which provides complete adjustment of the required level of dorsiflexion. The Boxia ® support raises the forefoot, providing vital foot clearance during swing phase, reducing the risk of tripping over everyday items such as rugs, kerbs and uneven surfaces. The Boxia ® also encourages natural gait pattern by allowing normal ankle movement when stepping off the foot. A shoeless attachment is also available for this product from Orthotix. Enquiries: Contact 02920 370 696 or email enquiries@othotix.co.uk
THE DynaPro™ Torticollis Orthosis is the latest addition to the OCSI range of stock orthoses distributed by Trulife – available for next day delivery from their head office in Sheffield. Designed to treat lateral flexion of the head and neck, this new orthosis features a ‘Bend to Fit’ shoulder cuff which allows for quick and easy customisation to allow for restorative torticollis therapy. In addition, the semi-rigid heat moldable upright with ‘flex’ technology allows for a gentle stretch to reverse tissue shortening or manage lateral cervical flexion spasticity. Using the DynaPro™ Torticollis Orthosis can significantly improve functional alignment of the head and neck facilitating improved vision, swallowing and performance of ADL’s.
BEAGLE ORTHOPAEDIC CONTINUES TO ADD TO CUSTOM RANGE
NEO-WRAP KNEE BRACE FROM BENECARE
NEW from Beagle Orthopaedic’s Custom Fabrication Department is their Torticollis Orthosis, designed to offer patients with this distressing condition a long-term comfortable solution to integrate into their daily lives. Constructed from thermoformable plastics, which vary dependent upon their required function, the shoulder and head components are linked using an innovative hinge which uses multidirectional adjustment in the flexion/extension plane, rotational adjustment to ensure optimal stabilisation when correction is applied to the joint, and also allows the head component to be raised. The orthosis is secured with a circumferential strap with ultra low profile buckle, and further optional fastenings to control the head movement can be supplied as required
THE front opening design and easy-opening tabs on the Velcro straps make this brace suitable for the arthritic or elderly patients, who may suffer from limited dexterity. The brace incorporates hyper stop hinges which provide medial and lateral support for unstable knee, while allowing flexion. The internal access to the hinge allows for easy removal for laundering. Product feature and benefits
Enquiries: Contact 01254 268788 for further details.
Enquiries: For more information visit www.benecaremedical.com or call 0161 273 6789.
ÖSSUR FOOT UP® NOW AVAILABLE IN BEIGE
HEADING
THE Foot-Up® is a lightweight ankle orthosis, designed to provide dynamic support for drop foot or similar conditions. This simple orthosis not only provides visible improvement in the patient's gait, by providing support the moment the foot is raised, but it is easy to fit and practically invisible when worn. As a response to patient requests, this hugely popular product is now available in beige. Foot-up combines two separate parts; an ergonomic ankle wrap, which connects to a plastic inlay that fits between the tongue and the laces of a shoe. A separate shoeless foot wrap is also available, which enables the orthosis to be worn without footwear. Both attachments fasten to the ankle wrap by a strong elastic strap with a quick release clip. The ankle wrap is made from a breathable three-layered structure, which makes it comfortable to wear for long periods, without causing irritation to the skin or impeding the foot's freedom of movement. The Foot-up is available in three sizes and includes a shoe inlay. Additional plastic inlays and the Shoeless Foot Wrap are supplied separately from www.ossurwebshop.co.uk. Discounts apply on orders of a Foot-Up and Shoeless Wrap together. Enquiries: Telephone 08450 065 065, email ossuruk@ossur.com or visit www.ossur.co.uk
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ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES I OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2011
Enquiries: For further information contact Trulife on 0114 261 8100 or email info@trulife.co.uk
• Front opening • Universal left and right. • Contrasting proximal and distal strap to counter rotation. • Open popliteal area for added comfort during flexion. • Removable hyper stop hinges. • Easy grip stabs for patients with porr dexterity. • Fully adjustable front and rear straps. • Indication • Increasing medial/lateral support. • Rheumatoid arthritis. • Mild to moderate hypertension. • Mild to moderate valgus / varus deformity.
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