Welcome to our Winter Newsletter!

In this issue we celebrate with both David Hills and Diane Pidgley for being with Dorset Ortho for 2o years. Their skills and dedication to the company have made it what it is today.

We introduce you to paralympic hopeful Sophie as she receives her new rowing leg, catch up with Harmonie-Rose as she attends her first day of school and join Hannah as she hits the slopes with her ProCarve. We hope you enjoy these and the other inspiring stories within this newsletter.

Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2019.

The Dorset Orthopaedic Team

Winter 2018

NEWSLETTER

STRIVE FOR BETTER.

AWARD WINNING SAFODorset Orthopaedic’s award winning SAFO® (Silicone Ankle Foot Orthosis) is a revolutionary product used in the treatment of drop foot and ankle instability. It works by supporting the front of the leg down to the top of the foot, helping to lift the foot during walking.

An attractive and comfortable alternative to rigid traditional AFOs (Ankle Foot Orthoses), the SAFO provides a new found sense of confidence by improving balance and correcting foot placement. Here we take a look at how the SAFO has changed the lives of three of our patients.

Neil Joisce

Neil, from Southampton, was in his early thirties when he suffered a devastating injury while playing in a rugby match. The former flanker severed his peroneal nerve, and required a full knee reconstruction.

The injury left Neil with drop foot and initially he wore a rigid AFO to assist in his day to day life. However, as his AFO had rigid parts at the front and back, he found it difficult to run with or do anything sporty, which restricted him within his role as a special educational needs teacher and rugby coach.

After hearing about Dorset Orthopaedic’s SAFO from a friend, Neil contacted the team to learn more. After an assessment, the team set about creating Neil his bespoke SAFO, which is considerably more discreet than his previous device and can be worn with or without a shoe.

More importantly, Neil’s SAFO has enabled him to move more both at work and at home, allowing him to be an active father to his two young sons.

Denise, a physiotherapist from Clitheroe, suffers from the rare vascular condition Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome that was eroding the bone in her leg. An experimental treatment to save her leg worked but left her with several after effects including extreme sensitivity to pressure on her skin and having to immobilise her lower leg.

After two years of using crutches, Denise started investigating options open to her and found what she needed at Dorset Orthopaedic.

She attended Dorset Orthopaedic to work with our orthotists to create a unique SAFO that combines a carbon fibre framework and soft silicone to relieve pressure in painful areas. Denise’s SAFO has allowed her to return to work, resume swimming and walk for longer.

Laura, 41, was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour in 2001 and underwent two surgeries over three years to treat it. During the second surgery, Laura suffered a massive stroke, which affected the motor function on her right side as well as the peripheral vision in her right eye.

With her tumour still growing, Laura travelled to America in 2005 with her husband and parents to undergo proton therapy to halt its growth. This proved to be successful and when she returned home she concentrated on improving her mobility and regaining her independence.

Laura was originally prescribed a rigid orthosis but found it difficult and uncomfortable to wear. When she discovered Dorset Orthopaedic’s SAFO, she was keen to find out more. After working hard on her physio, Laura was able to be fitted with her own bespoke SAFO.

Laura views her SAFO as a second skin and has used it during swimming and has even been skiing with it in Switzerland.

Denise Park

Laura Wright

Matt Hughes of Dorset Orthopaedic stated, “This is an exciting development for both clinics, giving our clinical teams another solution to provide the most comfortable total surface bearing sockets to our clients. It makes a lot of sense to capture the shape of the residual limb whilst in a load bearing situation. So far the results have been fantastic.”

To find out more please speak with your prosthetist or contact your clinic.

The country’s best case managers gathered to celebrate their achievements and those of their colleagues at the awards dinner, with 7/7 survivor and double amputee Martine Wright as guest of honour.

Martine talked about her experience and how she came back from horrific injuries to represent Team GB at the London 2012 Paralympics in sitting volleyball. She also helped to present the prizes on the day to eight deserving winners.

Attending the event on behalf of Dorset Orthopaedic were Commercial Manager Ian Adkins and Clinical Services Director Matt Hughes who commented; “We were thrilled to be able to support this event and celebrate alongside the country’s best case managers. Congratulations to all the winners, who have showed exemplary skill and best practice to get the very best for their clients.”

DORSET ORTHOPAEDIC SPONSORS CMS UK AWARDSDorset Orthopaedic was proud to be one of the main sponsors of this year’s Case Management Society, ‘Case Manager of the Year Awards’ in London.

The Aqua Symphonie Casting System with Vector Control is a unique casting system which provides prosthetists and patients the opportunity to cast whilst weight bearing fully through their residual limb.

By casting this way, the prosthetist can get an accurate measurement of how the residual limb is shaped and how it behaves under weight-bearing conditions. The result is an excellent fitting, and comfortable socket that can be manufactured quickly and reliably with little modifications needed. This advanced pressurised system is suitable for below knee, through knee and above knee levels of amputation and at present is unique to Dorset Orthopaedic in the UK.

THE AQUA SYMPHONIE CASTING SYSTEMDorset Orthopaedic has invested in a new state of the art casting system for lower limb amputees.

Little Harmonie-Rose had to have her arms amputated above the elbow and her legs amputated at the knee after contracting meningitis aged just ten months.

Harmonie-Rose’s new “pin-lock” sockets and legs provide a much more comfortable fit than her previous prostheses and have allowed her to take her first independent steps. Featuring lockable knee joints connected to purple sockets, adorned with her favourite cartoon character ‘Vampirina’, Harmonie-Rose has been enjoying an action packed lifestyle even before heading to school.

This summer Harmonie-Rose enjoyed a holiday with her family, spending her time riding her scooter, handling snakes and even surfing. She also loves singing, dancing, painting and swimming and has recently collected her level five Rockhopper proficiency award.

Gillian Burrage, Harmonie-Rose’s prosthetist said, “Harmonie-Rose is an amazing little girl with tons of spirit and determination, she’s a delight to work with. We’re thrilled she loves her new legs as much as she does, and we wish her all the best as she starts her school life.”

HARMONIE-ROSE STRUTS HER STUFF ON HER FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

STEVEN SHOOTS FOR SUCCESS

Shooting coach Steven, 66, is father of three-time Olympian Ed Ling, who won bronze at the Rio 2016 Games in the men’s trap event and Theo Ling who is currently topping the British junior rankings.

With decades of competition under his belt, as well as vast experience in a number of different shotgun disciplines, Steven is hoping he will be the first in line for Paralympic selection when the time comes. Shotgun disciplines such as skeet and trap are currently not included in the Paralympic shooting programme but Steven, who has many international, individual and team medals to his name, has taken part in test events and it is hoped they may be included in either the Tokyo or Paris Games.

Steven, who lost his leg following a motorbike accident almost 50 years ago, has had a packed programme of competitions in 2018, including the Home International, the World Shooting Para Sport World Cup in France and the World Shooting Para Trap Championships in Lonato, Italy.

Steven has been a client at Dorset Orthopaedic for 14 years and has recently upgraded his prosthetic foot to a Blatchford Echelon VT, which gives him plenty of stability for his everyday life and his shooting, which often means many hours stood up.

Steven Ling is hoping to follow in his son’s footsteps and represent his country at Paralympic level in a shooting discipline.

With new prosthetic legs designed by Dorset Orthopaedic, Harmonie-Rose, now a bubbly 4 year old, was full of confidence as she set off for her first day of school in September.

David joined Dorset Orthopaedic in August 1998, starting out as a prosthetist working with the clinic’s founder, Bob Watts. Through the past two decades, David has witnessed numerous changes and has been a key figure in the development and expansion of Dorset Orthopaedic, becoming Managing Director in May 2013.

David puts his continued motivation down to knowing that Dorset Orthopaedic is always there for people who have disabilities and those who have gone through life changing events such as spinal injury or amputation. In addition, David’s hard-working nature means that he is tireless in his efforts to ensure that Dorset Ortho continue to maintain its reputation as the world leader in the fields of prosthetic and orthotic care and the production of high definition silicone cosmeses.

David’s interest in prosthetics and orthotics began when he was just a child, undergoing surgery at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital. David would escape the ward and watch as the hand-made orthoses were being created, which inspired him to pursue a similar career.

Outside of work, David is a keen sailor, recently sailing around the Kornati Islands in Croatia. Closer to home, he enjoys spending time in the Wiltshire countryside, walking with his wife and their two dogs.

DAVID AND DIANE CELEBRATE 20 YEARS AT DORSET ORTHOPAEDICThis year saw prosthetist David Hills and silicone specialist Diane Pidgley celebrate 20 years of working at Dorset Orthopaedic. Having changed the lives of hundreds of patients between them, we take a look at these mainstays and what makes them tick.

Diane joined Dorset Orthopaedic in September 1998 and has been instrumental in the development of several products over the last 20 years.

Diane’s incredible attention to detail and desire to push the boundaries within the silicone world has helped the department continue to strive for excellence, repeatedly raising the bar in terms of Dorset’s unrivalled quality. In recognition of this, Diane has received the Dorset Othopaedic Company innovation award three times for her inventive solutions that have improved both manufacturing techniques and cosmetic outcomes for clients.

Working so closely with patients, Diane has built up numerous lifelong friendships. With her warm and friendly approach, patients feel at ease and are able to fully engage with the process, ensuring the best possible outcomes.

Prior to joining Dorset Orthopaedic, Diane worked at Lloyds, working through underwriters to arrange corporate computer maintenance contracts. Taking the opportunity to join Dorset Ortho was quite a change and enabled Diane to exercise her creativity in a way that was more rewarding than she had ever hoped for. Outside of work, Diane enjoys working in her home studio, on a wide range of artistic and craft projects.

She also loves animals and has a giant rabbit and a Labrador. Living in the stunning New Forest, Diane enjoys making the most of her surroundings, frequently going out for walks and bike rides with her husband and dog.

SOPHIE’S PARALYMPIC DREAMSSophie Harris, 33, is part of a crop of talented para rowers aiming for selection in the Team GB squad for Tokyo 2020.

Born with congenital talipes equinovarus (club foot), Sophie underwent multiple surgeries to help her walk independently for many years before she had an ankle fusion as a final option. When the fusion only partly worked, Sophie decided it was time to amputate and underwent surgery in February 2017.

Looking for something positive to focus on, Sophie took up rowing, reaching out to a number of clubs during her rehabilitation. The Mayflower Offshore Rowing Club based in Plymouth responded and were supportive of her needs as an amputee, offering to take her out on the water to teach her coastal rowing. To her surprise, Sophie not only enjoyed the rowing but had a natural knack for it.

Shortly after this, Sophie contacted British Rowing, the organisation responsible for the training and development of rowers, to see if they could offer any advice on how to improve her technique as an amputee.

Sophie received a response back inviting her to British Rowing’s Talent ID camp where she was assessed on a rowing machine and met Team GB Physiotherapists and coaches. While impressed with Sophie’s obvious ability, she was advised that she required a different prosthesis if she wanted to progress in competitive rowing.

This led to Sophie reaching out and meeting the team at Dorset Orthopaedic who worked with her to create a leg to meet the requirements set out by British Rowing. The result of their research and expertise is a limb which has extra flexion in the foot, allowing her to bring her knees right up to her chest during the rowing motion, improving her performance and overall comfort in the boat.

Sophie’s prosthetist, Kevin Shaw commented “Creating a rowing leg for Sophie was a challenge for us as we’d never built something like this before, but we’re delighted with the outcome and it’s great to see Sophie putting it to such good use. We’re all rooting for her as she continues her Paralympic quest.”

Her first skiing prosthesis was bulky, heavy and quite painful and she was only able to wear it for short periods of time. After attending Dorset Orthopaedic for a new everyday leg, Hannah enquired whether any new skiing prostheses were on the market and discovered the ProCarve, made by Ottobock.

Specifically designed for skiing and related water-sports, the robust and waterproof ProCarve provides targeted support for the wearer so they can carve through the snow or water with ease and confidence.

In order to make sure the ProCarve fitted correctly, Hannah and her prosthetist, along with some family members, went to a nearby indoor ski centre to try it out and make any adjustments along the way.

Hannah has since been on three family holidays with her ProCarve and adds “It’s taken a few trips but I’ve definitely mastered it now. I find the more speed I have the better it feels. I can put my entire weight on it, and I can trust it fully. I can go as fast as I like now and I can stay on the slopes a lot longer before I need to take a rest. So it’s been great, and I’m looking forward to our next trip.”

HANNAH HITS THE SLOPES WITH HER PROCARVEHannah, 42, has been able to take to the ski slopes in confidence once again with the help of Dorset Orthopaedic and the ProCarve. Hannah, who lost her left leg below the knee after a coach crash in Zimbabwe, was determined to continue skiing, a sport she has enjoyed since the age of four.

PROCARVEThe Ottobock ProCarve snow and water sports prosthesis provides targeted support for ambitious athletes in their individual alpine winter sports.

Designed especially for skiing, this high-activity sports prosthesis has integrated, high-performance dampers that control the flexion and extension movements for users with an above or below knee amputation. ProCarve is also suitable for other sports, such as wake-boarding, snowboarding and water-skiing.

There are two versions of the foot, a standard foot and another with increased stiffness, from which advanced riders with below-knee amputations can profit the most. The ProCarve foot can be used as an independent unit or in combination with the ProCarve knee joint. It is connected directly to the ski binding or combined with the foot shell with a shape suited especially for snowboard boots.

If you are interested in finding out more about the ProCarve and its use contact us via enquiries@dorset-ortho.com

LAUNCHING THE UK’S FIRST DEDICATED TMR AND OSSEOINTEGRATION SERVICE

Held at The Royal College of Physicians in London, the morning consisted of expert presentations from clinical teams and patients that have been through this pioneering new service. In the afternoon there was the opportunity for any interested patients to have a short private consultation with the clinical team to discuss the procedure and for any questions that they had regarding the process and their eligibility to be answered.

For the first time, patients outside the military who are looking for a life free from socket-related problems or nerve related pain will be able to access these pioneering surgical procedures and specialist rehabilitation in one package of care within the UK.

Relimb surgeons Norbert Kang and Alex Woollard, who work at The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust in Hampstead will perform the surgical procedures, while Dorset Orthopaedic will provide follow-up rehabilitation and support.

Matt Hughes, said “We are absolutely thrilled to be a part of this UK first service. Offering patients a complete package of care will give them the confidence they need to go forward with these treatments and achieve their optimal outcomes and results.”

Mr Kang added: “We’re incredibly excited to be able to announce the launch of this service and to be the first in the UK to offer this combination of revolutionary proce-dures from one surgical unit. It is a great honour for us and couldn’t have happened without the combined efforts of many teams. We’re delighted to be partnering with Dorset Orthopaedic to provide this service, which will ensure our patients experience a seamless pathway of care.”

Alex Paterson, who underwent OI and TMR surgery by Relimb to restore the function in his amputated arm, was one of the speakers at the launch. Following these life changing procedures, Alex’s phantom pain disappeared and he can now operate his myoelectric hand using his mind.

He commented, “I’m really excited to be part of this historic launch. The experience I’ve had has been nothing short of miraculous for me and I will always be in the debt of Mr Kang and Mr Wollard, and the team at Dorset Orthopaedic, for the improvements in my quality of life.”

To find out more about this servioce contact us on 0800 433 2239 or email enquiries@dorset-ortho.com.

October 31st saw Dorset Orthopaedic partner up with Relimb to provide the country’s first Osseointegration (OI) and Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR) surgery and rehabilitation service for amputees.

Contact us

enquiries@dorset-ortho.com www.dorset-ortho.com 0800 433 2239