A family friend had a stroke just before Christmas and, at the time, is appeared that things were not looking good.
Initially the stroke was described as “mild”, but over the week following the event she seemed to deteriorate. Some two plus months later the initial diagnosis would appear to be the correct one as her progress has been nothing short of amazing and she is now almost back to normal. Her only problems are benefiting (although not necessarily needing) a walking stick. This is something that she will probably cast aside at some future point. The other remaining difficulty is concentration and short term memory which is still not quite 100%. Again this is something that should go a long way towards correcting itself over time.
For my part I have to confess an interest in the numerous aids that were supplied to her by the NHS. On the one hand the NHS can appear inadequate and completely useless, yet on the other they can be exceptional. In this instance the hospital care fitted into the first category and the post hospital care the latter.
The equipment with which she was supplied for home-use numbered a commode (portable loo), a fold up wheelchair with smallish wheels, a rollator, a zimmer frame and walking sticks. All appeared to be brand new and they were delivered prior to her arrival back at home.
All (bar one) of these items have been used to varying degrees during her quick rehabilitation and the wheelchair is now no longer required. It will be interesting to see how quickly these aids are taken back into the NHS and re-issued for those in need of them.
The big positive to all of this is of course the variety and flexibility of mobility aids that are available in the UK through the NHS. Naturally, the rollator and wheelchair were not top of the range models, however they were more than adequate for someone with a short term requirement and where car transport and fold-ability was an important requirement. They were also robust and looked like they could take many years of wear transportation.
Aids such as these can often be a means to an end and they may not have to become a permanent necessity of future life. In cases like strokes and limb or back injuries these aids can offer temporary support whilst the body repairs or re-wires itself. This means that they may not be required as lifelong “crutches” in all cases.
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
Thursday, 3 February 2011
Orthopedic products
There are a number of products designed with orthopedics in mind.
Some of the obvious ones are for rehabilitation from injury or surgery, but others are daily use products that “should” help to keep us fit and healthy.
The medically based orthopedic aids cover a wide range of items and include braces, supports and different mobility devices. These can be use to support limbs or their muscle groups, or to control and direct correct and desirable joint movements.
The more common and less medically relevant orthopedic products include anything from mattresses and chairs to shoes and computer mouse mats. The aim of these products is to promote good health by doing things like keeping the actions and movements of the body healthy.
Obvious examples would be lying on an orthopedic mattress that holds the spine in a good alignment, or having the wrist adequately supported whilst manipulating a mouse. These may seem like small or unimportant things, but over time they can prevent ailments like chronic back problems or repetitive strain injuries.
There are of course many products that are given the “orthopedic” tag for a mix of marketing and politically correct reasons, so common sense needs to be employed in determining which items really are designed with ergonomics and body-aware design as a primary goal.
Recently some unusual designs have come to light as a result of manufacturers, designers and “end users” putting their heads together to improve how something is made. A current example of this would be the five finger shoes that have recently appeared in shops and stores. This footwear solution took a radical look at how our feet “should” function and then took a completely different approach to designing a shoe. The result looks strange, but so far all of the research and testing seems to back up the health advantages of these unusual shoes.
Memory foam or visco elastic foam is a material that has seen much use in the “orthopedic” product sector. A major usage area is in mattress design and construction, but shoe insoles and other “body supporting” products have seen the application of this unique material.
Some of the obvious ones are for rehabilitation from injury or surgery, but others are daily use products that “should” help to keep us fit and healthy.
The medically based orthopedic aids cover a wide range of items and include braces, supports and different mobility devices. These can be use to support limbs or their muscle groups, or to control and direct correct and desirable joint movements.
The more common and less medically relevant orthopedic products include anything from mattresses and chairs to shoes and computer mouse mats. The aim of these products is to promote good health by doing things like keeping the actions and movements of the body healthy.
Obvious examples would be lying on an orthopedic mattress that holds the spine in a good alignment, or having the wrist adequately supported whilst manipulating a mouse. These may seem like small or unimportant things, but over time they can prevent ailments like chronic back problems or repetitive strain injuries.
There are of course many products that are given the “orthopedic” tag for a mix of marketing and politically correct reasons, so common sense needs to be employed in determining which items really are designed with ergonomics and body-aware design as a primary goal.
Recently some unusual designs have come to light as a result of manufacturers, designers and “end users” putting their heads together to improve how something is made. A current example of this would be the five finger shoes that have recently appeared in shops and stores. This footwear solution took a radical look at how our feet “should” function and then took a completely different approach to designing a shoe. The result looks strange, but so far all of the research and testing seems to back up the health advantages of these unusual shoes.
Memory foam or visco elastic foam is a material that has seen much use in the “orthopedic” product sector. A major usage area is in mattress design and construction, but shoe insoles and other “body supporting” products have seen the application of this unique material.
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