Rugby's Friends of St Cross donate two more machines to help people recovering from stroke - cutting waiting times

The first machines, donated in 2018, brought a new service to Rugby which helped with the rehabilitation of patients who had suffered a stroke and were used to strengthen muscles, reduce tightness and help lift the foot when a person is walking.

When Willy Goldschmidt, chairman of the Friends of St Cross, heard the service had been successful and that there is often a waiting list to try the machines, he proposed that the Friends should consider donating a further two more machines.

A spokesperson for the Friends said the trustees were impressed to hear that during the pandemic ESD Team has continued to teach patients how to self-manage the devices by video calling them to get help the electrodes in the right place.

The trustees agreed to the proposed purchase.

Katherine Thomas, neurological physiotherapist at St Cross, said: “Patients suffering from a large range of different neurological conditions, including stroke, brain injury, cerebral palsy and spinal cord injury, are offered a one month trial of a machine.

"On average one patient a month has found using the machines beneficial and has been referred to the West Midlands rehabilitation service in Birmingham to have a machine permanently

set up for them.

"There is currently a one year waiting list for the trial service in Birmingham so being able to offer a trial service for Rugby residents is a great benefit to all concerned – even those who

find that the device does not work well for them.

"This saves then waiting for over a year to be seen in Birmingham for the same outcome.”

The Friends have also donated some upper limb exercise equipment which will be used as part of the GRASP programme to improve upper limb function in stroke patients.

In addition, two weighing scales will allow the team to accurately work out a patients MUST score, to see if they are having adequate nutritional intake or require intervention or referral.

The scales can also be used for standing balance rehabilitation.

Katherine has provided two case studies which demonstrate the benefits gained by use of the Functional Electrical Stimulator devices.

These can be read on the Friends website – www.fsx.org.uk.