There’s no stopping Colin Edwards, nicknamed ‘Forest’ by his peers, with his Comfort Fit® Prosthetic Socket from Dorset Othopaedic.
Previously Colin has successfully ran 630 miles across England’s South West Coastal path, completed a 20-mile off road run – ‘The Grizzly’ for the sixth time in March this year and completed the Salcombe Coastal Marathon this month!
Dorset Orthopaedic made Colin’s Prosthetic Socket withultra lightweight carbon fibre and flexible materials to achieve comfort and lightness. This, with the combination of years of experience and the ability to hand form each socket on an individual basis, really makes a difference to amputees.
Colin’s Prosthetist Matthew Hughes explains:
“A socket is vital. You can have the best prostheses in the world, but if the socket is not comfortable, nothing is going to be right in everyday activity, let alone competing in intensive sport that Colin whole-heartedly enjoys.”
After completing The Grizzly, Colin commented:
“After an extreme run I was expecting some sores on my stump, but I didn’t suffer from any sores or abrasions from my socket from Dorset Orthopaedic. I was so impressed.”
Colin has also continued to train and successfully ran thirty miles in the Salcombe Coastal Marathon earlier this month!!!
Ex-Police Detective Malcolm Hingle has featured in The Daily Mail Online sporting a Comfort Fit® Socket from Dorset Orthopaedic, in preparation for an epic bike ride for Help the Heroes.
In July 2006, Detective Malcolm, aged 62, was on ‘Covert Surveillance’ duty, following suspected drug dealers undercover on his motorbike when a car collided with his motorbike, severely dislocating his knee and fracturing his arm.
Following fifty-six operations, Malcolm’s left leg was eventually amputated above his knee in July 2011. After thirty years of service, Malcolm unfortunately had to take early retirement from the Police.
Malcolm first attended Dorset Orthopaedic in October 2011 where Clinical Director David Hills acted as his Expert Witness in his legal case. Malcolm says:
“I quickly realised Dorset Orthopaedic was leading the field in prosthetic rehabilitation; so I wanted to be with the top company!”
With the support of a legal case, Malcolm was prescribed the ground-breaking Genium™ Knee by Otto Bock. This one-of-a-kind prosthetic knee utilises sophisticated software to turn multiple environmental inputs (a complex sensor system, including a gyroscope and an accelerometer) into the most natural, intuitive motion available.
The prosthesis facilitates fast, complex movements that allow Malcolm to easily step over obstacles, play sport and continue with everyday activities.
Malcolm tells us:
“David introduced me to the Genium Microprocessor limb which is life-changing and has never let me down. Now I don’t have to concentrate on everyday activities that people take for granted, I can just get on with my life.”
Malcolm jokes:
“With other limbs I was like an Only Fools and Horses sketch! I would fall over, off my prosthetic limb, and my wife would be looking for me like Trigger and Del Boy! With the Genium I am secure and can carry heavy weights, play golf and enjoy everyday activities like walking around the supermarket.”
Since becoming an amputee, Malcolm is determined to give something back. In October 2012 Malcolm walked 100Km over six days in 38-degree heat through the Jordan National Park, in Petra, in aid of Parkinson’s disease. His next venture is to complete the 350-mile ‘Big Battlefield Bike Ride (BBBR)’ from Paris to London on the 27th May to support Help for Heroes.
The BBBR is an emotional and physical challenge. Cyclists ride for six days, covering 60 – 90miles a day, journeying through significant WW1 and WW2 battlefields. Over one hundred wounded servicemen, women and veterans will start at the Eiffel Tower and cross the finish line at the Horse Guards Parade in London, after laying a wreath at the Cenotaph.
To complete this challenge Malcolm is in need of a durable, comfortable socket to fit his prosthetic, so he sought Dorset Orthopaedic’s expert advice once again. David and Malcolm have worked together to design a Comfort Fit® Socket tailor-made for Malcolm’s bike.
“It’s great that Dorset Orthopaedic can create bespoke products. This socket will give me more comfort and I will be able to cycle for eight hours, without many sores.”
David explains how the Comfort Fit® Socket was especially designed for Malcolm:
“Malcolm’s socket is made from light-weight Carbon Fibre. I designed this socket around the shape of Malcolm’s saddle on his bike so that it is comfortable enough for him to cycle over very long distances.”
Sports-teacher Neil Joisce suffered an injury over 10 years ago that stopped him playing semi-professional sports, but with a SAFO® from Dorset Orthopaedic, he continues to lead an incredibly active lifestyle.
In 2002, Neil was involved in a collision on his right knee whilst playing rugby that resulted in various ligament, tendon and nerve damage. Since the accident Neil has endured nine operations on his leg and one on his back. His injuries have resulted in ‘Drop Foot’ or ‘Foot Drop’ whereby the muscles that actively dorsiflex the ankle and foot have weakened, causing difficulty in lifting his foot up.
Neil received his newest SAFO (Silicone Ankle Foot Orthosis)from the Dorset Orthopaedic team in March 2013. The award-winning Orthosis supports the front of Neil’s leg down to the top of his foot. This helps Neil lift his foot whilst his leg swings during walking. Without the SAFO, Neil feels he could not keep up with his active lifestyle and career.
Neil now teaches Physical Education at the Hampshire Collegiate School near Southampton, where he originally studied. He is also Head of Boys Sports, Personal Social Health Education (PSHE) and has most recently been promoted to Head of Year, to commence in September 2013.
“The SAFO is vital for me to be able to do my job effectively. As a qualified sports teacher I need to be able to coach pupils, referee sports matches and stay active, the SAFO lets me do this.”
Before his accident Neil was a Semi-Professional Rugby player. Being able to partake in sports and be involved physically with his children Jack, aged 4 and Tom, aged 2, is very important to him.
“The SAFO has given me back a healthy everyday life. I can run, play golf and walk my dog with the SAFO. I can also chase after my boys. Jack has got a new bike and I can run alongside him whilst he learns how to ride as long as I put on my SAFO!”
Neil’s story has also featured on Enable Magazine’s website, read the full story here.
Inspirational Dorset Orthopaedic patient Colin Edwards features in this month’s issue of Assistive Technologies magazine.
In March Dorset Orthopaedic patient Colin Edwards ran ‘The Grizzly’ a 20 mile run through muddy, hilly, boggy, beachy terrain along the Jurassic coast in Dorset. Equipped with his Comfort Fit® Socket, tailor made by Dorset Orthopaedic, Colin completed The Grizzly for the sixth time.
Category: Clients, News, Prosthetics by Marketing
Tags: amputee socket, Colin Edwards, Comfort Fit® Prosthetic Socket, Comfort Fit® Socket, Dorset Orthopaedic, lightweight carbon fibre, marathon, Matthew Hughes, running with a prosthetic, Salcombe Coastal Marathon, The Grizzly, transtibial socket
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