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The occupational therapist and the physiotherapist who dared to try
something new:
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Stroke patient Erik back on his feet again

After five months confined to a wheelchair stroke patient Erik* is back on his feet again at last. Once his physiotherapist and occupational therapist had discovered the right aid to train standing up things moved quickly. Today Erik is a much happier, more confident, self-assured patient.

Patient Erik* regained much of his quality of life and day-to-day freedom thanks to the Bure Rise & Go walking, mobility and stand-up aid. In the images physiotherapist Monica Bertilsson demonstrates the stand-up procedure while occupational therapist Birgitta Prytz plays the part of the patient.

The happy ending to stroke patient Erik's story took place at sheltered accommodation in Kristianstad municipality in Skåne. Erik, born 1923, lives there as he not only has heart problems but also difficulty walking since suffering a number of strokes, although he has been able to walk short distances using a walker. But when Erik's plastic hip dislocated a third time he was left at the mercy of a mobility wheelchair. For five months everything involved the use of a stand-up lift and a visit to the toilet, just like any other move, became a project calling for many helpers.

"We didn't feel safe about letting him try standing and no way were we going to tempt fate. It was really tough on the patient who felt bound to his wheelchair while wanting to be independent. At the same time he was afraid of the pain he had suffered on the occasions his hip dislocated," physiotherapist Monica Bertilsson tells us.

Wary patient at first

When Monica Bertilsson together with colleague occupational therapist Birgitta Prytz later got to hear about the Bure Rise & Go walking, mobility and stand-up aid they decided it was worth a try with Erik. In the beginning training consisted of standing up from a sitting position.
"Initially it was just very short bouts of standing up. Of course the patient was a bit wary," occupational therapist Birgitta Prytz tells us, and continues:
"We gradually extended the periods when the patient was standing and they soon became longer and longer. After a little while we began to get the patient to take a few steps. We then increased the distance, depending on his energy level and how he felt. We didn't feel sure he was able.

Pride of progress

After having used the Bure Rise & Go harness for two months when standing up Erik was now able to do this independently.
"The patient was immensely proud of the praise he got after all the progress he made, and visits to the toilet were now so much easier," occupational therapist Birgitta Prytz tells us before physiotherapist Monica Bertilsson adds:
"Bure Rise & Go feels so safe to use. We knew the patient had support and could not fall. What's more the product works great and is easy to use. The great advantage is that it feels safe for both patient and staff."

Quality of life, freedom and self-assurance

After another month or so Erik was able to walk somewhat longer distances and today he use a walker fully independently, but with someone alongside for safety's sake. He manages standing up from a sitting position on his own.

"Thanks to Bure Rise & Go Erik is back where he began; he has regained his quality of life, his freedom and his self-assurance. And the ability to stand up is also very important from several perspectives, such as the distribution of load throughout the skeleton and internal organs," says physiotherapist Monica Bertilsson. And when asked whether they would recommend Bure Rise & Go to others their emphatic answer came in unison:

"Absolutely!"

Read more about Bure Rise & Go »

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*Erik is a pseudonym.