assistive technologies ( oct/nov )

By Dominic Musgrave

AN orthopaedic research team inLiverpool are hoping to come up witha new way of detecting when jointreplacements are about to come loose.The University of Liverpool team aimsto develop and evaluate a simpleblood test which would give warningof a problem developing before bonedamage was visible on x-ray.More than 150,000 joint replacementoperations are performed every year inthe UK, mostly of them hip and knee,with 10 per cent failing and having tobe replaced (known as revisionsurgery) within 10 years.The new three-year project, which isfunded by a £187,000 grant from theArthritis Research Campaign, couldlead to many benefits, according toprincipal investigator Simon Frostick,professor of orthopaedics at theUniversity’s Musculoskeletal SciencesResearch Group.“For doctors, a good test to detect thelikelihood of joint failure would alloweasier and cheaper monitoring,without the need for expensive x-rays,” he said. “It would also enablesurgeons to focus on patients at risk oftheir joint becoming loose. For patientsit would mean better monitoring

without hospital visit and x-rays, just aGP visit and blood test.“For researchers and manufacturers ofimplants it would be invaluable, asnew implants could be monitoredmore closely, and problems andimprovements identified more quickly.And for scientists it would mean thatnon-surgical treatments to stop theloosening process before bonedamage could be developed andmonitored.”Loosening of artificial joints is causedwhen plastic and metal fragmentsfrom the implant slowly wear away,causing inflammation and leading tothe bone around the joint becomingunstable.To enable them to find out if theblood test is effective – using a markertaken from blood cells entering thetissue near the particles of metal andplastic – the Liverpool team willsample the blood of 250 people inthree different patients’ groups. Theyare patients just before their first jointreplacement, patients who have hadan implant within five years, who havehad no problems, and patients withimplants which are problematic. Allgroups will be followed for theduration of the study.

Research teamin joint failuredetection hope

People who are paralysed from the waist down are learning to walk or climbstairs thanks to a new robotic suit. Israeli high-tech company Argo MedicalTechnologies founder Amit Goffer created the device, which is in clinical trialsin Tel Aviv's Sheba Medical Centre. His own paralysis inspired him to look foran alternative to the wheelchair for mobility. Full story: Page 4

INNOVATION FOR INDEPENDENCE ISSUE 63 October/November 08 £6.95

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ContactsEditorialAndrew Harrod Group [email protected]

Dominic Musgrave Healthcare EditorEmail: [email protected] Tel: 01226 734407

SalesHayley Doig Sales representativeEmail: [email protected] Tel: 01226 734412 Fax: 01226 734478

[email protected] hour hotline: 01226 734695

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Product managerJackie BrookEmail: [email protected]

Whilst every effortis made to ensurethe accuracy of allcontents, the pub-lishers do notaccept liability forany error, printedor otherwise, thatmay occur.

www.assistivetechnologies.co.uk

By Dominic Musgrave

A WOMAN marine fitted with a‘bionic arm’ which is controlled bythought has begun feelingsensations in her missing hand.

Claudia Mitchell, who lost her armin a motorcycle crash in 2004, wasfitted with a standard prostheticarm after attempts to reattach hersevered limb were unsuccessful.

But as her arm had beenamputated at the shoulder, shelost the nerves normally used tocontrol a conventional prostheticarm and so volunteered to befitted with a new type of limb in2006 which uses a surgicalprocess called 'targetedreinnervation'.

Surgeons took nerves from hershoulder and embedded themunder muscle in her chest, andnow when she thinks 'Move', herchest muscle lets out tiny electricalimpulses which are picked up bythe robotic arm.

These signals are interpreted by acomputer and motors cause thearm to move almost instantly.

Claudia is able to carry out simple

thought-controlled movementslike folding a shirt and evenopening a bottle of wine.

"I have what I call 'eurekamoments' – my stunned, 'I can'tbelieve I just did that' moments,”she said. “There are a lot of dailytasks that people don’t even thinkabout being able to do that I cando now.”

But the procedure has had an oddside-effect, enabling her to 'feel'sensations in her missing hand.

Four months after the operationshe was in the shower and 'felt'hot water on her lost hand whenit hit her chest, where the nerveshave been transplanted.

She also found that touching herchest or applying heat and cold toit would give her the sensation ofpressure, warmth or coolness inher missing hand.

Doctors at the RehabilitationInstitute of Chicago, whichdeveloped the new procedure,believe she has experienced thesensations because they movedsensory as well as motor nervesfrom her shoulder to chest.

Dr Todd Kuiken of the Institutesaid: "We have rewired her,” saidDr Todd Kuiken, who developedthe procedure. “We purposelydirected her hand sensation nerveson to some chest skin, and itworked."

It is hoped that the discoverycould lead to the creation of newlimbs that can feel as well asmove.

Wii bit of helpPATIENTS at an Inverness hospitalare using the Nintendo Wii torecover their strength and mobilityafter suffering a stroke.Raigmore Hospital’s stroke unit isusing the games console toimprove hand-eye coordination andbalance of its patients. Themethods were revealed during anopen day at the unit as staff andpatients marked the opening of anew clinic on the ward.“It can aid hand-eye co-ordination,stamina, and balance, saidoccupational therapist SusanMacgregor. “Even patients withlanguage problems can use thisand there is a fun social element tothe games as well.”

Pictures: Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago

Marine Claudia ‘feelingsensations in missing hand’

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A ROBOTIC suit is helping peopleparalysed from the waist down tostand, walk and even climb stairs.

Users of the ReWalk wear abackpack device and braces on theirlegs and select the activity they wantfrom a remote control wrist band.

Leaning forwards activates bodysensors setting the robotic legs inmotion.

Users walk with crutches, controllingthe suit through changes in centre ofgravity and upper body movements.The device effectively mimics theexoskeletion of a crab.

Former Israeli paratrooper Radi Kaiofhas been paralysed for the last 20years following an injury during hisservice in the Israeli military.

“I never dreamed I would walkagain,” he said. “After I waswounded, I forgot what it's like.Only when standing up can I feelhow tall I really am and speak topeople eye to eye, not from below.”

The device, which is now in clinicaltrials in Tel Aviv's Sheba MedicalCentre, is the brainchild of engineerAmit Goffer, founder of small Israelihigh-tech company Argo MedicalTechnologies.

His own paralysis inspired him to

look for an alternative to thewheelchair for mobility.

The company claims that bymaintaining users upright on a dailybasis, and exercising even paralysedlimbs in the course of movement,the device can alleviate many of thehealth-related problems associatedwith long-term wheelchair use.

“There are a number of devicesabout which stabilise the trunk andcan help with gait,” said Dr MarkBacon, an expert at the UK charitySpinal Research. “Often they are verybulky and are only used forrehabilitation in specialist centres.

“Sitting down in a wheelchair can bean issue for some people. Deviceslike this one might be appealing.However, it might not be any betterthan a wheelchair in terms ofconvenience.

“And these devices are only suitablefor people who still have goodcontrol over their hands andshoulders.”

Robotic suithelping usersstand and walk

Former Israeli paratrooper Radi Kaiof

‘Only when standing up can Ifeel how tall I really am andspeak to people eye to eye,not from below’

By Dominic Musgrave

THE only disabled person in theworld to have conquered both Northand South Poles will be the guestspeaker at the inaugural InclusiveFitness Initiative (IFI) awards dinner.

Polar adventurer and disabilitychampion Michael McGrath will talkabout his life and exploits at theevent at The ICC, Birminghamsponsored by Cybex on December10 which will recognise IFI accreditedfacilities in developing inclusivephysical activity for disabled people.

“The Inclusive Fitness awards are afantastic opportunity toacknowledge the work that thefitness industry has done to includedisabled people so far,” said IFInational director Sue Catton. “Theawards are not a recognition ofachieving an ultimate goal, they aremore an endorsement of theoutstanding progress being madeand an incentive to continue toimprove the service our industryoffers year on year.”

The eight award categories are:Innovation in inclusive marketing:Building outstanding partnerships;Creating inclusive environments;Engaging volunteers; Individual

commitment to inclusive fitness;Developing sport for all;Demonstrating corporatecommitment and the IFI award ofoutstanding achievement 2008.

Disabled adventurer to speak at dinner

Polar conquererand disability

champion Michael

McGrath

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EThe cost effective way to ‘cast’for custom foot orthoses ...

CUSTOM made foot orthoses arewidely used in clinical practice totreat biomechanical dysfunction ofthe foot, and to redistribute increasedpressure in the ‘at risk’ foot.(Diabetes and Rheumatoid Arthritis).(1) The traditional approach to thismethod has been to initially take aplaster cast of the foot. (2,3). The useof plaster casts to manufacture footorthoses is well established andwidely used, but has been shown tohave some reliability and repeatabilityissues with inter and intra practitionervariation. (4)

However, despite these issues,reviews of outcome surveys haveshown that they are clinicallysuccessful. (5)

More recently optical scanning of thefoot is possible which reduces someof the disadvantages of casting,including the variation experiencedthrough casting. (6) Comparisons ofhigh quality optical scanning toplaster casts have shown onlyminimal differences in shape. (7)

Therefore it is beneficial to look atthe cost comparisons for the use ofscanning technology against thecontinued use of plaster casting forfoot orthoses.

Other beneficial impacts of usingscanner technology include thedramatic saving in time to take thecast/image. From accurately assessedfigures we find that there is a timesaving of approximately 20 minutesper patient. This would allow afurther patient to be seen in the timethat it would take for casts to betaken.

Time savings in the lab show evenmore dramatic savings as there is noneed for the 24 hours taken for thecasts to dry before manufacture. Thedata can be processed within secondsof the data being electronically sentto the lab, and therefore themanufacture of the devices can bestarted much earlier than when castsare used.

This will undoubtedly improve thepatient experience as there will be amuch faster delivery and thereforestart to the treatment programme forthe patient which will have knock oneffects on outcomes for the patient.

With the flexibility of the LangerScanner, scans can be taken weightbearing, semi weight bearing or nonweight bearing , this allows differenttypes of orthoses to be madedependent on the patient condition.

What happens next?

The scanned information on arrival atthe Langer Manufacturing Facility iscollated with the prescription form(this is automatic) and the scans areanalysed to ensure quality andinformation accessibility.

The scan information is thencombined with prescription andentered into our state of the artsoftware. To individually designcustom orthoses, without usinglibrary shapes, to ensure the correctfit and prescription for your patients.

This state of the art system hasresulted from major financialinvestment by Langer UK, to improveour ability to manufacture for ourcustomers. This software is the mostsophisticated orthoses system in theworld and can be used to developand design orthoses for castedmanufacture or direct milled usingour highly technical mill.

Reporting

The Langer scanner can gather bothcustomer and patient information.This allows Langer to provide variousreports to our customers based ontheir personal requirements. This caninclude numbers of orders placed,types of devices, patient details, datesof despatch and issue.

These allow the customer andscanner user to follow up easily allpatients and to keep tracks onprescribing patterns, giving vitalinformation enabling audits to becompleted easily and quickly.

The reports can be tailored so thatfurther information can be includedeven outcome measures.

Cost comparison

The costs for the production ofsuitable information to produce footorthoses have been compared inorder to give a cost/timer benefit planfor the use of optical scannertechnology.

Assuming upper and lower costbased on the clinician’s time will givethe following:

From this information and assumingthat the accuracy of the scanningtechnology matches or surpasses thequoted information, (the Langerscanner uses digital cameratechnology and is thereforeextremely accurate (to 0.5mm) and isas accurate as POP casting). We canshow that:

There are major cost savings to theclinician/ NHS of around £30.00 perpair of casts.

Time saving of approximately 20mins per patient.

Accurate repeatability (all scans aredigitally saved and can be reused).

Saving in time for the information toget to the lab at least 1 day.

Reduced time for devices to befinished and returned to customer.

Increased throughput of patientsthrough the clinic, reducing waitinglists.

Accurate inter and intra repeatability.

Clean, no mess to clean up.

Simple and easy to set up and use.

References

1. Landorf et al; Foot orthosesprescription habits of Austrailian andNZ Podiatric Physicians JAPMA2001 91 174-183

2. Root ML, Weed J Orien W ;Neutral casting positions LosAngeles: Clinical BiomechanicsCorporation 1971.

3. Losito JM Impression CastingTechniques in Valmassey R ed.

Clinical Biomechanics of the LowerExtremity St Louis Mosby 1996.

4. Chuter V Payne C Miller K;Variability of Neutral position castingof the foot JAPMA 2003 93 1-5

5. Landorf K Keenan A-M Efficacy offoot orthoses; what does theliterature tell us? APMA 1998 32 (3)105-113

6. Black E The future of footorthoses; BioMechanics 1997 5:17-23

7. Laughton C McClay-Davis IWilliams DS ; A comparison of fourmethods of obtaining a negativeimpression of the foot. JAPMA 2002;92:261-268

DimensionsPlantar Scanner40x70x23 cmWeight 20kgPortable24x28x10Weight 2kg

ITEM ASSUMPTION COST

Podiatrist/ charge of £30-50 /Clinicican £30-50/hr hour time cost.

To cover time costs

POP one roll of 15 cm £3.00

Bandage at cost of approx £3.00

Packaging and post will vary dependent £5.00On method usedAverage cost taken

TIME COSTS COMPARISON

Activity Clinician TimeCasting Scanning

Prep 2 mins 0 mins (assuming scanner is switched on).

Taking cast 5 mins 5 mins

Cast setting 5 mins 0 min

Cleaning 5 mins 0 mins

Packing cast 15 mins 0 mins

Total 32 mins 5 min

Writing prescription takes the same for both approx 10 mins.

TOTAL COSTS COMPARISON

Method Time costs Material/Postage costs Total

Casting £16-26.00 £8.00 £24.00-34.00

Scanner £2.5-4.16 0.00 £2.50-4.16

This gives a direct comparison of day to day running costs per pair of orthoses.

Therefore total cost comparison is: Casting £24.00-34.00Scanning £2.50-4.16

Therefore showing a cost saving by using scanner of: Between: £21.50-29.84

To find out more contactLanger on 01538 755861 orvisit www.lbguk.com

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By Dominic Musgrave

THE team hopes the technology willhelp patients relearn the movementsneeded to perform everyday taskssuch as drinking a cup of tea orbrushing their hair.

At present assessing the range ofupper body movement a patient hasafter a stroke and how they areimproving as a result of treatment orphysiotherapy relies solely on thejudgement of healthcare workers.

The Oxford researchers aim to createan objective way of measuring howshoulder and arm movements areimproving to give better feedbackthroughout the rehabilitationprocess.

The new technology builds onprevious work into analysing the gait– or walking pattern – of childrenaffected with cerebral palsy.

“In the past a lot of work has goneinto analysing walking andmovement of the lower body butcomparatively little work has beendone on upper body movement,”said Dr Penny Probert Smith from thedepartment of engineering science,who led the team.

“We hope to break down usefulmovements – anything fromhandling money to tying shoelaces –into different elements that can bequantified and then assessed againststandardised measures based oncurrent clinical tests.”

The system uses the same motion

sensing technology that records themovements of actors for computer-generated films such as Beowulf. Inthe Oxford Gait Laboratory 12infrared cameras work together totrack the movement of reflectivemarkers stuck to a person’s wrist,arm and torso in realtime.

This information can then becompared with data from fivewearable sensors on the upper body:

these sensors combine 3Daccelerometers (measuringacceleration), 3D gyroscopes(measuring ‘turn’ velocity) and 3Dmagnetometers (measuring theearth’s magnetic field for reference).

“At the moment we are using thesophisticated laboratory set-up totest a much cheaper, simpler systembased on wearable sensors,” addedNour Shublaq, the engineeringstudent developing the technology.“Immediately after a stroke, apatient would be assessed in thelaboratory, but the idea is that theycould then receive regular feedbackon their progress using the simplersensor system either in GPs’ surgeries

or even in their own home.”

This kind of feedback could helpcombat ‘physio fatigue’: whenpatients stop doing their dailyexercises because they cannot seethe small, incremental improvementsin their range of movement that theybring – often leading to a lesscomplete recovery.

Within a year the researchers hopeto test the simpler, motion-basedsystem on adult volunteers who arerecovering from a stroke to see howit can aid their recovery.

The work is funded by theEngineering and Physical SciencesResearch Council (EPSRC).

Oxford Universityengineers aredeveloping motionsensors similar to thosedeveloped for videogames like NintendoWii to help strokesufferers. DominicMusgrave found outmore.

Video game sensors couldhelp stroke sufferers

Above: the gait lab model and, top, the gait lab

‘The idea is that they could then receive regular feedbackon their progress using the simpler sensor system eitherin GPs’ surgeries or even in their own home.’

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THE shortlist has been unveiled andvoting has begun in this year’s BHTAExcellence Awards sponsored byAssistive Technologies magazine.You can vote for your favourite fromthe list of companies by followingthe instructions on our websitewww.assistivetechnologies.co.uk orby filling in the form on page 10.The winner in each category willreceive a special trophy from AngelaRippon at the annual awards dinnerat Hotel Russell, London onDecember 4. The runner up willreceive a certificate. Voting closes onNovember 10 at 5pm. Open to allreaders, there are four categories:Mobility:Albion MobilityMERUMobilis HealthcarePride MobilityRemployTGA

Prosthetics:Dorset Orthopaedic LtdNorth Sea PlasticsOssurOtto BockRSL SteeperTouch Bionics

Rehabilitation:Careflex Leisurelines GB LtdNottingham Rehab Supplies LtdOssurRenray HealthcareTrulife

Orthotics:A Algeo LimitedDJO UK LtdDM OrthoticsLanger UK LtdRSL SteeperRemploy

AngelaRippon andWharncliffePublishingmanagingdirectorMichaelHewitt withRobinCooper ofprostheticswinner RSLSteeper atlast year’sceremony.

BHTA LivingDesign awardentries doubleMORE than double the number ofentries have been received for the2008 BHTA Independent LivingDesign Awards compared with lastyear.

With more than 20 innovativeproducts to assess, it will be a hardjob for the judges to whittle themdown to a shortlist and then choosethe first, second and third placewinners.

Recognised as the most importantaward for assistive technologiesproducts in the UK, this is the 13thyear they have taken place, and thistime BHTA customers and retailershave had a hand in the nominationsas well as manufacturers beinginvited to enter their own products.

Entries submitted range across manyof the different BHTA membershipproduct sectors, including mobility,prosthetics, stoma and continence.

As always, the aim of the awards isto find innovative products that helpdisabled, elderly and vulnerable

people live a more independent life.

The 2008 judges have been carefullychosen for their broad knowledgeand experience.

Sue Norris, former head of the NHSCentre for Evidence-basedPurchasing (CEP), takes the chair forthe fourth time.

This year she is joined by Julia Scott,chief executive of the College ofOccupational Therapists; BobEmpson, a trustee of The Foundationfor Assistive Technology (FAST);Maggie Winchcombe, a trainedoccupational therapist who runs herown consultancy business, workingfor Government departments,industry and voluntary organisationsand new judge Steve McNeice fromemPower, who is also a member ofthe Associate Parliamentary LimbLoss group.

The winners will be presented withtheir trophies at the BHTA awardsdinner at the Hotel Russell in Londonon 4 December.

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Hip implantsdesignedfor womenBy Dominic Musgrave

ORTHOPAEDIC surgeons at RushUniversity Medical Centre areoffering a new hip replacementdesigned especially for women.

The M/L Taper Hip Prosthesis withKinectiv Technology was designed byRichard Berger, a doctor at thehospital, and made by Zimmer Inc.

“The traditional artificial hip is basedon a man’s anatomy,” said Richard.“Women are built differently thanmen – they tend to be shorter, morepetite and have smaller bones andshorter hips.”

“The availability of implants in awide variety of shapes and sizes willhelp us provide a more patient-specific approach for all patients.”

The new replacement means doctorswill no longer need to makeadjustments during surgery as theyhad to when using a conventionalhip replacement implant.

The results are not always perfect forwomen as well as men shorter thanfive feet five inches. In some casesthe stem of the implant, which is thepart that fits inside the upper thighbone, may be too long and cancause the hip to push out and theleg to be slightly longer than normal.

The stress from the mismatch cancause the new hip to fail or lead tosignificant pain and disability,requiring another replacement.

The gender-specific hip implantcomes in three separate sections: astem, the head and the neck, so it isadjustable for a woman’s size andshape.

During the surgery, all three sectionsare connected. The pieces lock inplace but can be changed atanytime.

Another advantage of the gender-specific hip is that it is minimallyinvasive surgery and only requiressmall incisions to place each of theseparate components.

Because there is no need to cutthrough muscles and tendons, therecovery time is significantly reduced.

Richard and Dr Aaron Rosenberg, anorthopedic surgeon at Rush, alsohelped design the first high-flex kneereplacement implant shapedspecifically to fit a woman’s anatomy.

"Knee implants have beenfunctioning very well for men andwomen, but we wanted to meetwomen's unique needs by makingknee replacements that feel, fit andfunction even better," added Aaron.

“The implant is the best of bothworlds. It's based on the currentimplant we use, a highly successfulimplant with great mechanics and 10years of clinical success.

“Only the shape of this new implantis different, to make it feel morenatural.”

A PHYSIOTHERAPIST has beensuspended for his inappropriatetreatment of two female patientsand his failure to inform the HealthProfessions Council of conditionsimposed on his membership of theChartered Society ofPhysiotherapists. A panel of the HPC conduct andcompetence committee heard howon several occasions Albert IanConstable failed to communicateeffectively and made inappropriatecomments when treating twopatients. The panel also heard that hebehaved in an inappropriatemanner towards both femalepatients. On one occasion he ranhis fingers over parts of one of thecomplainant’s body without havingany clinical need to do so andtickled her stomach with hisfingers. The panel heard evidence from

several witnesses, including thepatients involved, the registrantand the registrant’s representative.They also considered the writtenstatement of a physiotherapist whoworked with the registrant. Panel chair Raymond Pattison said:“The panel noted that theregistrant had demonstratedserious failings in his approach tothe issue of maintaining therespect, rights, dignity andindividual sensibilities of hispatients. Further he has expressedno remorse for the distress causedto two of his patients, nor has hedemonstrated at anytime duringthe hearing, awareness of theimpact of not allowing patientprivacy. Finally, the registrant hasshown a lack of awareness of whatpatients might consider an intimateintervention and in addition, theappropriate use of chaperones.” Albert was suspended for one year.

Physiotherapist suspended

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Daily living aids manufacturer Mountwayhas appointed Vicki Chislett as its newhead of marketing.

Vicki has seven years’ experience in bothconsumer and trade marketing for a widerange of products, and she will head upthe marketing department, overseeing allof Mountway’s strategic marketingactivities.

“It’s a challenge but I’m very muchenjoying getting my teeth into the newrole and I’m pleased to be part of such anexciting period of rapid growth,” she said.“It’s a different industry for me so I’mlearning new things every day too.”

Following the recent acquisition of NordicCare Services, Mountway has added over250 new products to its catalogue.

‘No justification’for denying opsover obesityBy Dominic Musgrave

RESEARCH by scientists at theuniversities of Southampton, Bristol,Oxford and Keele has shown thatthere is no justification for denyingobese patients knee replacementsurgery.The study showed that clinicallyobese people (those who have abody mass index (BMI) of above 30kg/m2) can benefit almost as muchas anyone else from the procedure.Around 55,000 knee replacementsare performed each year in Englandto relieve the pain and disability ofknee osteoarthritis. However, in some parts of thecountry, surgery is offered only topatients who are not clinically obeseon the grounds that obesity is itself arisk factor for knee osteoarthritis.Professor Cyrus Cooper, director ofthe ERC and professor ofrheumatology at the University ofSouthampton, said: “The long-termimprovement in physical functionthat we observed in patients whohave undergone knee replacementsurgery is striking when set againstthe decline that occurred in thecomparison group.

“These benefits extended to thosepatients who were clinically obese.Our results show that as long asappropriate selection criteria areapplied with regard to fitness forsurgery, there seems littlejustification for withholding theoperation from patients who areobese.”The research team reached itsconclusions following a six-yearstudy of two groups of people, allover the age of 45. The first group(325 people) had all had kneereplacement surgery and the secondgroup (363 people) had not. At the start and end of the study, allparticipants completed a validatedquestionnaire designed to assesstheir mobility, mental health andwellbeing. The findings showed that,overall, the mobility of those whohad had knee replacement surgeryimproved over the six years of thestudy, while it fell in the comparisongroup. When researchers restrictedtheir analysis to those participantswho were obese, improvements inmobility appeared to persist and BMIwas not a significant predictor of thisimprovement.

Forty physiotherapistsattend spinal symposiumMORE than 40 seniorphysiotherapists representing the 12largest spinal units in the south westattended the Össur Academy SpinalSymposium at the Cardiff Technologyin Motion Clinic.

Professor Mike Benjamin beganproceedings with a detailed anatomyof the spine to set the stage for the

speakers that followed.

The other speakers were Dr KathleenLyons, David Wilson, Dr ValerieSparks, Victoria Edwards and SachinAhuga, all leaders in their respectivefields.

Össur personnel were also on handto demonstrate the innovative MiamiJTO spinal bracing system.

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By Lyndsey Smith

A FORMER football physiotherapisthas successfully attained two majorcontracts as he looks to continuallydevelop his business.

Paul Gough Physio Rooms, whichoperates from outlets in Darlington,Durham, and Hartlepool, hassecured an agreement with BUPA,and also with local firm, HousingHartlepool.

Paul, 26, is delighted with hiscontinuing success. He said: “To berecognised by the BUPA provider’steam is fantastic news for us and is apleasant reward for the highstandards we have set since the clinicopened in April last year.

“It is a testament to the skills andknowledge of our staff that we havebeen recognised by BUPA so soon.

“We’re aware that not everyone willbe insured by BUPA, but even forthose who aren’t the fact that weare regulated by the HealthProfessions Council and now BUPAensures that the quality of ourtreatment will benefit all of ourpatients.”

The contract will see direct referralsfrom BUPA, GP’s, consultants or anypatients in the town with a BUPAhealth insurance plan as well asproviding a service to the generalpublic.

Paul has also secured a two yearcontract with Housing Hartlepoolwhich will involve providing aphysiotherapy service to injured staff,advising on work capabilities andlight duties, whilst staff receivetreatment and return to full fitness.

Paul said: “We are thrilled to beworking with a company that valuesthe health and well being of its staffand it is very satisfying for us to bechosen especially as this contract wasapplied for by numerous otherphysiotherapists.

“Hopefully our service will prove tobe cost efficient for HousingHartlepool. We will aim to keep asmany staff as possible at work and atthe very least return them to work more quickly than would havebeen possible without ourtreatment.”

Paul hopes these two contracts willlead to more success in the future.“It is fantastic to be recognised bytwo big companies,” he said.

“However we must not lose sight ofour focus and goal which is toprovide a treatment service and helpmake people free from pain.

“If we continue to do this thenhopefully more companies like BUPAand Housing Hartlepool willrecognise us and more contracts willcome our way.”

Physio Paul nets two major contracts

Paul Gough

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The robot created by researchers at the University of ReadingPicture: DIEM photography/University of Reading

Rat brain cellscontrol robotA ROBOT controlled by a blob of ratbrain cells could provide insights intodiseases such as Alzheimer'saccording to researchers at theUniversity of Reading.

The project marries 300,000 ratneurons to a robot that navigates viasonar. The key aim is that eventuallythis will lead to a betterunderstanding of development andof diseases and disorders whichaffect the brain such as Alzheimer's,Parkinson's, stroke and brain injury.

The neurons are now being taughtto steer the robot around obstaclesand avoid the walls of the small penin which it is kept.

By studying what happens to theneurons as they learn, its creatorshope to reveal how memories arelaid down.

Professor Kevin Warwick from theSchool of Systems Engineering, said:"This new research is tremendouslyexciting as firstly the biological braincontrols its own moving robot body,and secondly it will enable us toinvestigate how the brain learns andmemorises its experiences. Thisresearch will move our

understanding forward of howbrains work, and could have aprofound effect on many areas ofscience and medicine."

The researchers are now workingtowards getting the robot to learn byapplying different signals as it movesinto predefined positions. It is hopedthat as the learning progresses, it willbe possible to witness howmemories manifest themselves in thebrain when the robot revisits familiarterritory.

This project has been funded by theUK Engineering and Physical SciencesResearch Council.

The Reading team is not the first toharness living tissue to controlrobots.

In 2003, Dr Steve Potter at theGeorgia Institute of Technologypioneered work on what he dubbed"hybrots" that marry neural tissueand robots.

In earlier work, scientists atNorthwestern University MedicalCenter in the US wired a wheeledrobot up to a lamprey in a bid toexplore novel ways of controllingprosthetics.

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A RESEARCHER at the University ofPortsmouth has created arehabilitation programme that placespatients on a treadmill and into avirtual world.

Wendy Powell, a PhD student in theSchool of Creative Technologies, hasdeveloped the software which worksin conjunction with a speciallyadapted treadmill.

It works by using moving images totrick the patient’s brain into thinkinghe or she is walking more slowlythan they are which in turnencourages them to walk faster andfurther.

Early results also suggest thatpatients using virtual rehabilitationmay experience less pain thantraditional physiotherapy alone.

A former chiropractor, Wendy hopesit will pave the way for a new andinnovative approach tophysiotherapy.

“The virtual system encouragespatients to walk more quickly andfor longer, almost without themrealising it.,” she said. “We’reeffectively fooling the brain and the

body.

“The environment is stimulating andentertaining and there’s less fear offalling over. Our test subjects areusually surprised when I tell themthey’ve improved by up to 20 percent.”

Wendy also hopes the system willhelp older stroke patients who oftenfind traditional approaches toimproving their speed and distancedifficult because it relies on self-motivation.

She added: “After a stroke or fallmany older people lack motivationand confidence and they don’t feelsteady on their feet so getting outand about can be an issue and theycan find the whole process ratherdull.”

Her system uses a variety of differentimages from urban landscapes toforest and mountain scenes. She hasbuilt a system of rewards into someof the programmes, whichencourages the patient to pick upobjects and collect points. She saidthat older people were not put offby the ‘computer game’ element but

seemed to enjoy it.

Clinical trials on real patients aretaking place in collaboration withexperts at the McGill University inCanada.

Andy Long, 61, a stroke survivorwho has tested Wendy’s system,described it as “magic”.

“The vast majority of stroke survivorscannot use a normal treadmillbecause they are not in control andmany can only hold on with onehand, making it almost impossible,”he said.

“Walking is the best possible exercisefor their bodies and this systemwould help enormously.”

Patients who needphysiotherapy following astroke or accident couldsoon be put through theirpaces in a virtual realityenvironment. DominicMusgrave reports.

Wendy Powell with stroke survivor Andy Long

Virtual journey for rehab patients?

JOSLIN ER Slings are temporary arm supportsfor acute conditions that offer exceptionalcomfort and support, yet provide a disposableoption.

The flexible nature of the Joslin ER sling reducescommon neck complaints and dramaticallyincreases patient compliance. Being stretchable,the Joslin ER Sling stretches from the elbow tothe wrist to provide a custom fit.

The Joslin ER Sling is universal, fitting both leftand right arms and are available in bothpaediatric and adult sizes. Slings and packagingare colour coded for easy stock keeping andaccess in an emergency.

For a product demonstration or literaturecontact G&M on 0121 483 1927 or [email protected].

Slings offer comfort and support to wearers

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New device helpspatients walkmore naturallyBy Dominic Musgrave

A NEW device has been createdwhich helps stroke survivorsand patients suffering fromother neurological or musculardisorders to walk morenaturally.

The NESS L300 neuro-rehabilitation system designedby Rush University MedicalCentre researchers aims toovercome the problem of footdrop – a partial leg paralysisthat prevents the foot fromlifting.

It is a non-invasive, wireless legbrace worn on the lower leg.Small sensors placed by theheel of the foot detect whetherthe patient’s foot is in the air oron the ground.

Electrodes transmit painlesselectronic stimulation to theperoneal nerve to activate the

calf muscle and correct apatient’s gait. When weight istaken off the patient’s foot, thebrace sends a signal to contractmuscles inside the calf, allowingthe foot to swing forward.

“Foot drop is a condition wherethe muscles in the foot are tooweak to properly lift the foot,heel and toes while walking,”said Dr James Young, medicaldirector of physical medicineand rehabilitation at Rush. “It isoften present in patients whohave suffered a stroke,traumatic brain injury,incomplete spinal cord injury,multiple sclerosis and cerebralpalsy.”

The tool has proved beneficialnot only in patients whorecently suffered traumaticbrain injuries, but also thosewho have suffered from severalyears of immobility or from

strokes several years ago.

“The device has helped ourpatients retrain and regaincontrol of their bodies andachieve greater mobility andindependence,” added James.

“We have seen vastimprovements in patients suchas walking coordination, speedand blood flow and a decreasein the effort required duringwalking while wearing thedevice.”

The medical centre also offers asimilar device for rehabilitationof arm movement called theNESS H200.

It is a small wireless, portabledevice that comprises of ahand, a forearm brace with fivesurface electrodes thatstimulate muscles to initiategrasp, release and thumbmovements.

SCIENTISTS have unveiled an artificial finger thatcould give disabled people a sense of touch.And researchers at Unilever, who are developingthe finger, say the first working prototypes couldbe available within 18 months.The digit has been developed as part of an EU-funded project into advanced artificial limbs.It is hoped the Nanobiotact could also soon beused to give robots a sense of touch, allowingthem to undertake far more delicate tasks thancurrently possible.The finger uses thousands of tiny touch sensors,each smaller than a pinhead.“We want to develop a machine with a sense oftouch,” said project leader Dr Simon Watson atthe BA Festival of Science in Liverpool. “Thisbrings us closer to the prospect of prosthetichands that can provide the same sort of sensoryfeedback as the natural senses. One applicationis robotic devices for use by surgeons where thesurgeon receives feedback from an instrumenton what it is 'feeling', via gloves.”He added that the work could also result in nextgeneration computer games.A second team at Unilever is investigating howthe brain processes touch information, using arobot to analyse what levels of skin stimulationare passed to the brain.The researchers have found that stroking theskin at three to five centimetres per second, witha light touch, stimulates the brain most.It is hoped the research will eventually allowprosthetic limbs to work with the brain moreeffectively.

Scientists ‘discover’a sense of touch

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Operationquality isfavourableTHE quality of hip and kneereplacement operations in Englandcompares favourably to the rest ofthe developed world according tothe first research. The study of more than 150,000NHS patients over three-and-a-halfyears by The Royal College ofSurgeons also found that furtherinvestigations into which patientsshould get which type of operation isneeded. Overall, only one in 75 (1.4 per cent)patients required revision to their hipor knee operation within three years,the Public Library of Science journalreported.But revision rates were higher fornewer procedures such as ‘hipresurfacing’ and ‘unicondylar knee’,with researchers saying furtherstudies over longer timescales isneeded to find out why this variationpersists and narrow down whichpatients would most benefit fromthese operations.“Hip and knee operations are amongthe most commonly performedsurgical procedures in the countryand there are many different types ofprosthesis and operative techniqueswith new ones being developed allthe time,” said John Black, presidentof the Royal College of Surgeons. “Itis a pleasure to note just how goodthese results are, a credit to thenation’s orthopaedic surgeons andtheir teams. “By having a national registry andlinking with routinely collectedpatient data we can quickly evaluatethese technical innovations andensure patients get the best possibleoutcomes from their surgery, evenbetter than they are at themoment.”

The figure is lower than othercountries who run national jointregistries with Norway, Australia andSweden all reporting higher rates.“This study demonstrates what canbe achieved by linking the NationalJoint Registry (NJR) with Departmentof Health’s Hospital EpisodesStatistics (HES) data. The paperconvincingly shows that hip andknee replacements continue toimprove in their success rates andthat our results are amongst thefinest in the world,” said StephenCannon of the British OrthopaedicAssociation. “The utilisation of theNJR shows that there are concernswith hip re-surfacing and the use ofuni-condylar prostheses whichrequire further study regarding theirclinical indications. The BritishOrthopaedic Association willcontinue to encourage researchspecific into these areas.”

Occupational therapist struck offAN occupational therapist has beenstruck off the HPC Register formisconduct while employed in asenior post with Surrey CountyCouncil.A panel of the HPC Conduct andCompetence Committee heard oralevidence from five witnesses whohad worked with Kerry Campbell.The panel found that she failed tomaintain adequate records ofassessments of patients, providedinappropriate treatment to pati-ents and wrote up case notesretrospectively. They also foundthat Kerry falsely wrote up case

notes and incorrectly closed casesthat required further assessment.“The panel is of the clear view thatthe facts found proved constitutemisconduct,” said Panel chair PaulArcher. “This conclusion is reachedon the basis that there has beenclear and compelling evidence thatMrs Campbell could perform to ahigh standard. The facts proved arebreaches of core competencies andthus the panel finds that in notdischarging her duties Mrs Camp-bell knew what was required ofher and deliberately chose not todo so.”

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Dame Tanniopens newliving centre By Dominic Musgrave

PARALYMPIAN Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson officially opened the IndyEnabled Living Centre in Worcester.

Dame Tanni’s total haul of 16Paralympic medals, including 11golds, as well as six gold medals inthe London Marathon andcomprehensive set of British andworld records make herachievements unique in the disabilitysport arena.

She is currently leading the review byUK Athletics of its anti-doping policy,and is a member of the Board ofTransport for London.

Dame Tanni has her own forthrightviews on issues of interest to peoplewith disabilities, including mobilityshops.

“Why can’t they be a bit less dull?”she said. “Most mobility shops arenot terribly pleasant; in fact some ofthem are a bit grim with little or nochoice.

“If I want to buy some nice clothes

I’d like to have a wider choice thanjust between tartan, olive green ornavy blue. Just because I use awheelchair doesn’t mean I want tolook like a sack of potatoes.”

She added: “And if I’m looking forsomething that will help me eitherwith mobility or to do things aroundthe house, I want to be able tobrowse around a place that looksnice and smells nice – notsomewhere dull and functional witha pile of incontinence pads in thewindow.”

Indy founder David Badham says thenew facility aims to change the faceof mobility provision in the UK byoffering people with disabilities thechance to see, try and compare awide range of adaptive clothing andaids where professional advice isavailable from experienced staffincluding qualified occupationaltherapists.

The centre also includes what isbelieved to be Britain’s first purpose-designed outdoor all-terrain testtrack for mobility scooters.

A ONE-YEAR pilot scheme whichgives patients the chance to leavehospital earlier and receive follow-up care at home is proving to bea major success.

The Countess of Chester HospitalNHS Foundation Team launchedthe service to allow patients whohave had emergency surgery orroutine hip or knee operations tobe discharged after a reasonableperiod and followed up by routinedaily house calls from the Trust’sOrthopaedic Outreach Team toaid their recovery.

The team consists of a nurse co-ordinator, physiotherapist,occupational therapist, and threerehabilitation carers.

The help and care given can beanything from helping to make ameal, assisting patients whengetting out of bed and gettingdressed in the morning, as well ascontinuous rehabilitation supportto maximise a patient’s mobility

and independence followingsurgery.

“This service not only benefitspatients who are in hospital for ashorter time, but it also frees upbeds for the Trust where therewould otherwise be a shortage,”said Alison Swanton, clinical leadfor therapy services.

“It means that patients oncerecovered from their operationcan receive their physiotherapyand occupational therapy athome and have the additionalcomfort of knowing that they canreceive extra support at home forthings such as making meals,getting dressed and negotiatingstairs.”

During the first three months ofthe pilot scheme 57 patientsbenefited from the service.

The team aims to have saved theequivalent of 700 bed days whenthe pilot is completed.

Early-discharge pilotfinds major success

The first female factory workers havestarted work at daily living aids man-ufacturer Mountway Limited.Throughout its 27-year history theonly workers on the factory floor atMountway have been men. But twowomen, 22-year-old Bev Nash andTina Griffiths, 44, have joined theteam of 17 as production operativesat the company’s Tredegar base.“Everyone was pleased to welcomeBev and Tina,” said operations man-ager Darren Young. “They’ve intro-duced a new dynamic to the team

and have had a calming influence onthe shop floor. It’s never been a con-scious decision not to employeefemales, it’s just we hadn’t attractedany women to the role in the past.“In the latest set of interviews Bevand Tina were the best candidates forthe job and they fit in really well.There are a few things we’ve had toadjust – as they are a little bit small-er than the men – but we were happyto make the investment and we aredelighted that they have joined ourteam at Mountway.”

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By Lyndsey Smith

A PHYSIOTHERAPY company in WestYorkshire is aiming to help relieve thecommunity’s aches and pains withfree advice sessions.

Medihealth, in Garforth, is made upof a team of experts that havepreviously worked for the NHS,Ministry of Defence and professionalsports clubs, and they are hoping thesessions will go some way toproviding health benefits for peoplein the area.

Rebekka Hill, physiotherapist, said:“These sessions will raise thecompany’s profile whilst helpingpeople along the way.

“We want to get ourselves knownand promote good physiotherapypractise and these evening sessionswill be a good way of doing that.”

The company have already trialledone session but Rebekka hopes tohold more. She said: “We need toreally promote our practise this timearound.

“These sort of clinics don’t happenvery often so we were unsure of ourtarget audience. This time we willcontact sports clubs direct andadvertise more, offering people theopportunity to come and chat with

us face to face.

“People can come for a ten or 15minute consultation. People can beconcerned and need a bit of advice.Some people may need treatment,others may just need to modify theirtechnique, or stretch in a differentway.

“We want to make the sessioninformal so people feel morecomfortable. Some people may notbe sure if their symptoms requirephysio so they are uncomfortablepaying out of their own pockets asthey assume it's going to cost theearth but it doesn't.”

Rebekka will be one of three physioson hand to help and she says if thedemand is there they will be only toohappy to hold the clinic at least everycouple of months and they arelooking at helping the local sportingcommunity as well as the generalpublic.

“If people want us, we will bethere,” she said. “You find if peopledeal with their symptoms early youcan prevent injury and enhancesports performance.

"We are based at the leisure centreso come into contact with a mix ofsports people. One of the things werealised is that many people pick up

injuries early on in the football andrugby seasons which could put themout for the entire season.

“At the end of the day, an untreatedinjury can cause long term damage.It could put an end to a blossomingsports career if people don't takeproper care of themselves. I have

seen it happen and it is such awaste."

The clinics are open to anyone,including non sports players, who have any questions and the Medihealth team will bearound to offer advice andconsultations.

Physio firm offers free advice

Physiotherapist Rebekka Hill

A British cyclist has ridden to twoParalympic gold medals using a prostheticlimb provided by Ossur.

Jody Cundy was victorious in the LC2 1kmtime trial and the team sprint just twoyears after taking up the sport.

A former swimmer, he won three goldmedals in Atlanta and Sydney beforeswitching sports. His foot was amputatedat the age of three after a severe footdeformity.

“My original leg was always coming off

when I was doing sprints,” he said. “So Ihad a prototype made which had no footbut went straight into a cleat at thebottom, and that really worked and wassuccessful, but I broke it in testing.”

This led to British Cycling approachingOssur to produce a leg which would belightweight and aerodynamically efficient.

“I can really feel the difference betweenthis leg and the last one,” he added.“When I accelerate, there is less weight toget moving, probably half that of the lastone.”

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£48k boost for sport project for amputeesBy Dominic Musgrave

MORE than £48,000 has beenawarded to a project which willhelp leg amputees get active insport.

The SPEEAD project (SportingProsthetics for Everyday and EliteAthletes with a Disability) willdeliver a sporting prostheticsconference, master classes andnew postgraduate learningmodules with the aim of improvingthe skills of rehabilitation andsporting professionals in the UK.

The project also aims to build thelevel and nature of expertise andresearch capacity in the widerdisability sports community.

The steering group for the projectincludes experts from academia,prosthetic and orthotic companiesand a charity involved in disabilitysports.

Project manager Sarah Deans fromthe National Centre for Prostheticsand Orthotics, University ofStrathclyde, believes that theexpertise within the steering groupwill help to ensure that thesporting prosthetics training eventsand modules will be “state of theart” with content relevant forprofessionals working in prostheticscompanies, the NHS and in sports.

"When considering ourdepartmental research strategy, we

realised the growing importance ofaccessibility and participation insports for those people with lowerlimb amputation,” she said.“Building on the recent success ofthe Paralympic team GB in Beijingand in preparation for the Olympicsin London in 2012 andCommonwealth Games in Glasgowin 2014 there is a strong focus onempowering and enabling theathletically inclined to becomeinvolved in competitive sport.

“The SPEEAD project's emphasis ison people's sporting abilityovercoming their disability. Thiscrucial funding investment willassist in creating a professionalnetwork to increase sporting

prosthetics’ visibility, facilitateknowledge transfer and ultimatelyallow those with amputation toreach their athletic potential.”

Sarah will be also be conductingPhD research examining the profileof disability sports in the UnitedKingdom and will be supervising afresh-minded, industry-basedmasters research associate who willbe investigating the usefulness ofhigh performance prosthetic feet.

The money was awarded by theUniversity of StrathclydeCollaborative Training Accountwhich is funded by the Engineeringand Physical Sciences ResearchCouncil.

THE world’s first commerciallyavailable lever-drive propulsionaccessory for manual wheelchairs hasbeen launched by NuDrive.

The new system from Pure GlobalLtd was designed by 25-year-oldRobert Orford and aims to improveposture and reduce shoulderdegradation and injury as well as theforce needed to self-propel by up to40 per cent.

The idea for the new system camewhen Robert was volunteering at adisability charity for young people asa teenager. He developed a basicconcept for his A-Level designproject and went on to win the Audiyoung designer of the year award in2002.

He also received a grant from Audito begin the process of developingthe idea into a commercial solution.

“What encouraged me to take theidea from being an A-Level projectinto a commercial reality was seeingthe impact it had on my friend EmilySteward,” he said. “Emily has SpinaBifida and the early prototype ofNuDrive gave her so much moreindependence, I felt compelled todevote myself to bringing the idea tomarket.”

NuDrive can be used by continuousor occasional wheelchair users and iseasily attachable to most manualwheelchairs with 24” metal spokedwheels. It also has an adjustabledrive arm length.

It has been developed for PureGlobal by product developersLondon Associates, in associationwith the Aspire Centre for DisabilitySciences at the Royal National

Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore. Anumber of wheelchair users wereconsulted throughout itsdevelopment.

Friend inspires Robertto create accessory

Robert Orford with PeterKemp, CEO of the National

Forum of WheelchairUsers Groups

Organisers bringin PR specialistsNAIDEX organisers Emap PublicSector has appointed industryspecialists CAS MarketingCommunications to manage thepublic relations campaign for the2009 exhibition.

The event for healthcareprofessionals, trade representativesand consumers will again be the firstof the year to showcase the latest inproduct innovations enhanced by anextensive educational programme.

Naidex event manager Liz Virgo said:“The 2008 show was one of themost popular to date and we arelooking for even more success in2009. CAS was chosen to handle theNaidex PR campaign due to its 15year proven track record, its specialistknowledge of the disabled industryand the comprehensive programme ithas promised to deliver.”

CAS public relations accountmanager Andrew Gubbins added:“We are delighted to have beenappointed by Emap to help promotesuch a prestigious event as Naidex.”

New curved stairliftPLATINUM Stairlifts has created anew curved stairlift which it hopeswill eliminate many of the problemsexperienced in other curved stairliftsystems such as poor reliability andsmoothness of ride.

The Curve is the result of 10 years’development and is built at thecompany’s purpose-built factory atCrosshills Business Park near Skipton.

Its streamline design minimises spacetaken up in the home, making it oneof the slimmest curved stairlifts onthe market

Platinum’s managing director TimFrear said: “The investment in TheCurve will open up new markets forus, giving consumers a real choice forcurved stairlifts with outstandingreliability to match. “

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By Ruth Everard

TO call many of the mobility aidsavailable on the modern market"wheelchairs" seems inadequate.

We have come a long way in thetools a disabled person can use tosupplement their mobility. Thehuman body, and the world it isexpected to function in,encompasses all three dimensionsand the basic truth is that everydaylife can involve a lot of standingup.

If you do not use a wheelchair,think about how many times youhave moved in an upright positionalready today: you stood at thekettle while it boiled, stood at thefront door to lock it, stood at theshop counter ...

There are many social and practicalbenefits to standing: you can reachfurther because your knees are notin the way; a hug or handshake isless awkward; and while we hateto acknowledge that conformityhelps in a social setting, peoplewho are not familiar with disabilityare put at their ease instinctivelybecause meeting a person in astanding position is familiar tothem.

There are health benefits tostanding too: The respiratory anddigestive systems function betterwhen they are aided by gravity and

not compressed in a sittingposition. Bone growth isaugmented by pressure and flexwithin the joints.

Muscles and joints can be exercisedthrough standing, allowingadditional fitness and retention ofskills and abilities.

But it is not as simple as proppinga person up into an uprightposition. By definition, a personwho cannot stand and walk willhave musculo-skeletal difficulties insupporting themselves in thatposition – if they didn't, theywould already be standing up.

The equipment used to enable thisliberating posture must match,complement and mirror at everypoint of weakness or vulnerabilityand provide effective posturalsupport, while promoting thefreedom and function availablewithin the individual's body.

It is important to consider thestresses being put upon the bodyand ensure that the system orstructure avoids repetitive strain onjoints that are not capable of aparticular position or movement.

Support in the right places canenable a new experience andability which will continue tobenefit a "wheelchair-user" longinto the future.

‘Equipment used to enable this liberating posture must match’

Crossing the car park Photograph: www.dragonmobility.com

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Midlandsmove for KidzexhibitionsorganisersTHE team behind the annual KidzSouth and North exhibitions arehosting their first event for theMidlands.Disabled Living’s Kidz in the Middlewill take place at the Ricoh Arena,Coventry on March 12 and will offerpeople from the surrounding area anopportunity to attend the eventswithout the inconvenience oftraveling too far.It will allow both public andprofessionals to try the latestequipment and products solutionsand talk to the specialist who supplythem.Admin manager Carmel Hourigansaid: “There will be a full and variedprogramme of talks and discussionscovering topics such as legal andeducation issues, new therapies,communication and ICT.“Many voluntary organisations arealso on hand with information onsupport, funding, holidays,publications and so on.”The free events were establishedeight years ago with an annualexhibition at the Reebok Stadium inBolton. This year’s Kidz Up Northtakes place on November 20 at thevenue and once again will feature avisit from Father Christmas plus othersurprises.Several Bolton Wanderers players andthe club’s mascot Lofty the Lionattended last year’s exhibition andtook part in a penalty shootout In 2007 Disabled Living held theirfirst Kidz South exhibition at theRivermead Leisure Complex inReading, to provide people in thesouth of England with their owndedicated event.

Len gets back to the buzz of businessA NEW orthopaedic bracingcompany has been set up by theformer owner of Medistox Limited.Len Lloyd has returned to theindustry following a two-yearabsence to create BeagleOrthopaedic Limited after admittingthat he missed “the buzz of thebusiness”.He said: “In a climate where moreand more products are being lost tofar east manufacture I began tothink that it would be an interestingchallenge to put together a high-quality manufacturing, sales andmarketing operation, once againbased in Blackburn, and use the

local skills so appreciated by thosewho work in orthotics andorthopaedic bracing.”Len has recruited the experiencedJohn Cox as his national salesmanager. Having started his careerin the medical branch of the RoyalNavy, he moved into orthopaedicsales, where he has spent the last 20years working with Tyco, Medistoxand Ossur before joining BeagleOrthopaedic.“One of our objectives within ourfirst year is to promote our highquality orthopaedic soft goodsrange, the work of our Blackburnspecialist manufacturing team,”

added Len.“Beagle will also be acting onbehalf of some new suppliers,whose product ranges are bothinterestingly innovative anddifferent, enabling us to present ourcustomers with some new and exc-iting alternatives to the ‘me too’ranges currently on offerelsewhere.”The company is also authorised UKdistributors for Aspen MedicalProducts range of cervical collarsand bracing.To find out more contact thecustomer service department on01254 268 788.

The inaugural No Limitsindependent living exhibition at theExCel Arena attracted more than3,500 visitors over two days.

Seminars included occupationaltherapist Marie Crawford andNicola Hammond, manual handlingadvisor and trainer on ‘Turning andtransferring solutions’ andIndependent Living Alternativesdirector Tracey Jannaway on ‘Userchooser, reality or myth?’

The event also sawdemonstrations for disabled peopleof ballroom dancing, basketball,dodgeball and football as well asan extensive exhibition.

PROFESSOR Craig Allingham was oneof the keynote speakers at theChartered Society of Physiotherapy’sannual congress at Manchester.Craig, an assistant professor at theBond University, has worked withfour Australian Olympic teams and isthe former national president ofSports Physiotherapy Australia.Also speaking was professor PatrickDoherty, chair of rehabilitation andresearch at York St John University,professor Anne Shumway-Cook fromthe division of physical therapy at theUniversity of Washington and DrGeorge Peat, research fellow at theprimary care sciences research centreat Keele University.The event showcased the latest bestpractice, research, educational andprofessional developments inphysiotherapy. The programme alsofeatured a packed agenda of lectures,workshops and debates as well asseveral social events.

Packed agenda

A GRATEFUL patient has raisedmore than £3,000 to help otherslike him at a Lincolnshire hospital.

Keith Hill from Lincoln has raisedthe money for the physiotherapydepartment at Lincoln CountyHospital to thank staff for theirkindness after he was treatedthere.

The money has been used to buya new prosthetic leg to be usedfor training, which was muchneeded to help patients.

It was raised at a number offundraising events planned byKeith and his friend Andy Skinner,including balls and auctions, aswell as Keith running the Lincoln10k race.

“We are very grateful to Keith

and Andy for their efforts inraising the money to buy thistraining prosthesis,” saidphysiotherapist Wendy Leonard.“It is a piece of equipment thatwas previously unavailable atLincoln County, apart from whenone was on loan fromNottingham.

“It will be used to eitherrehabilitate patients who have hadan amputation above the kneeand prepare them for wearing aprosthesis or to see if they aresuitable to wear a prostheticlimb.”

The pair have also recently beenselected to represent Great Britain in the sitting volleyballteam for the 2012 Olympics inLondon.

Fundraisers Keith Hill andAndy Skinner present theprosthetic limb tophysiotherapist WendyLeonard, charitable fundsaccountant for ULHT AdrianGraves and physiotherapistNorman Kinnell.

Keith’s boost for hospital

AUTHOR and mountaineer JamieAndrew and podiatric surgeon FrankWebb are just two of the speakers atthe Society of Chiropodists andPodiatrists’ annual conference.

American diabetes specialist DrRobert Frykberg and Australianpaediatric specialist podiatrist DrAngela Evans are also due to addressthe audience.

The organisers of the event, whichtakes place at the BournemouthInternational Conference Centre fromOctober 23-25, are hoping to buildon the success of last year’s, whichattracted more than 1,200 delegatesand 80 exhibitors.

Conferencespeakers named

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Documents

joint replacementoperations

patients withimplants

theyare patients

good test

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risk oftheir joint