Two brand new hydraulic walkers are now in use on Leicester Royal Infirmary’s trauma wards, only made possible by your generosity.

These top-of-the-range walkers help in the recovery of patients who have suffered a physical trauma through improved manoeuvrability and personalisation during physiotherapy.

The new walkers can be easily adjusted to suit each patient’s individual needs. They feature hydraulic height adjustment, fully adjustable armrests, and adjustable foot brakes. These features ensure that each patient can use the walker in a way that best supports their mobility and comfort, providing a customised experience that promotes independence during rehabilitation.

George, from Groby in Leicestershire, recently experienced a fall and suffered a hip fracture. Following his surgery, the dedicated physiotherapy team on the ward have been helping him regain his strength and ability to walk.

Standard walking apparatus currently used for trauma patients are widely available on the wards and are adequate for rehabilitation. However, they do not offer as much personalisation compared to the new walkers. The added customisability and support of the walkers help to provide even better care for hundreds of patients just like George.

George shared his experience, saying, “I feel incredibly secure using the new walker, and I’m able to manoeuvre easily up and down the ward to do my exercises. The standard walkers on the ward are okay, but I feel much more restricted using them. Thank you to the kind donors who helped to fund these new walkers for patients like me.”

Emma Robery, Senior Physiotherapist at Leicester Royal Infirmary, emphasised the importance of the new equipment. “It’s very important in the healing process that patients undertake physiotherapy and are able to manoeuvre in a safe and secure manner.” she explained.

Emma added, “We have already seen a really big difference in the confidence of our patients who use the new walkers – even the first day after their surgery. This means that some patients find their physiotherapy easier and recover faster, allowing us to discharge them sooner to the comfort of their own homes. It would be great if we could have more of the walkers across the Trauma Unit.”

It is only because of the generous gifts provided by people like you that patients like George now have access to the very best equipment that aids in their recovery, giving him more control, and a better sense of security and confidence that was not possible before.

Your support is making a real difference in the lives of trauma patients at Leicester Royal Infirmary, helping them on their journey to recovery.