- Email: [email protected]
Error Eliminated
152
letters Wheelchairs in the Real World MADAM - Wendy Howell’s letter (January 1998) expressed concern about two illustrations from the booklet Getting the Best from your Wheelchair, published by RADAR, which was reviewed in the November issue of Physiotherapy. Like Bert Massie, whose letter was published last month, I feel that these diagrams shown out of context could be a little misleading. One of the diagrams (reproduced here) shows two helpers lifting a wheelchair plus an occupant down two or three steps, but the accompanying text clearly states that this manoeuvre should be avoided whenever possible and should only be considered having assessed the situation, and taken into account the weight of the wheelchair user, the strength and experience of the lifters and the number of steps involved. A warning is given that a chair should never be lifted unless the manoeuvre has been practised first with help at hand. In the rea\ world, steps cannot
Neuromuscular Stimulators MADAM - With reference to the article on neuromuscular electrical stimulation in last month’s JQurnal (Knight et a/, 1$98), DMI Medical makes the following statement: Acting as a research and development company we produced a piece of equipment to the authors’ specifications. This was not one of the range of DMI stimulators commercially available for the treatment of incontinence. The equipment we recommend for the treatment of genuine stress,incontinence uses sequential frequency mode which addresses the problems encountered by the authors of this article. To allow for research into neuromuscular stimulation in the future we have now produced the NeuroFour, which has a one-treatment protocol via microchip. To change parameters is as simple as inserting a new chip.
Physiotherapy, March 1998, vol84, no 3
always be eliminated and this type of manoeuvre will occasionally be unavoidable to enable wheelchair users to pursue fully their particular interests and chosen activities. The other diagram shows a folded wheelchair being lifted into a car boot and the carer is bending forwards. Since it is important to keep the load close to the body, it is virtually impossible in the real situation to keep the back straight and bend the knees. Again it is clearly stated in the text that this method should be avoided by anyone who has back problems and, when possible, another method should be used or someone else should give assistance.
Jo Kavanagh MCSP Banstead Mobility Centre
Left: Diagrams in dispute - dangerous manoeuvres or the onlypractical solution?
(Current.price f39.95.) The unit will also switch off after the recommended treatment time. This we believe will allow for research in the future with ‘accurate parameters, specifically time and dose, at a much lower cost than previously.
I Gregson Technical Director DMI Medical Ltd Wigan
Reference Knight, S, Laycock, J and Naylor, D (1998). ‘Evaluation of neuromuscular electrical stimulation in the treatment of genuine stress incontinence’, Physiotherapy, 84, 2,61-71.
Keep on Writing! Letters to the editor are always welcome. Please type or print out on one side of the paper, double spaced, if possible - although handwritten letters are acceptable.
Error Eliminated MADAM -Joan Gabbett is totally justified in her letter in the February issue of Physiotherapy in criticising the cover illustration shown from The Guide to the Handling of Patients. While I am aware that it was not directly related to the content of my leader in the December Journal, 1 must accept some responsibility for the continued use of the illustration in my role as one of the panel of authors of the fourth edition of the Guide. It had ‘slipped through the net’. However, I must reassure Mrs Gabbett and all other interested colleagues that both the illustration shown and a further misleading illustration on the back cover of the Guide have been removed from the cover of the reprint of the fourth edition which is being published this Spring.
Brian M Fletcher GradDipPhys MCSP DiplChorfC) llkeston Derbyshire
letters Wheelchairs in the Real World MADAM - Wendy Howell’s letter (January 1998) expressed concern about two illustrations from the booklet Getting the Best from your Wheelchair, published by RADAR, which was reviewed in the November issue of Physiotherapy. Like Bert Massie, whose letter was published last month, I feel that these diagrams shown out of context could be a little misleading. One of the diagrams (reproduced here) shows two helpers lifting a wheelchair plus an occupant down two or three steps, but the accompanying text clearly states that this manoeuvre should be avoided whenever possible and should only be considered having assessed the situation, and taken into account the weight of the wheelchair user, the strength and experience of the lifters and the number of steps involved. A warning is given that a chair should never be lifted unless the manoeuvre has been practised first with help at hand. In the rea\ world, steps cannot
Neuromuscular Stimulators MADAM - With reference to the article on neuromuscular electrical stimulation in last month’s JQurnal (Knight et a/, 1$98), DMI Medical makes the following statement: Acting as a research and development company we produced a piece of equipment to the authors’ specifications. This was not one of the range of DMI stimulators commercially available for the treatment of incontinence. The equipment we recommend for the treatment of genuine stress,incontinence uses sequential frequency mode which addresses the problems encountered by the authors of this article. To allow for research into neuromuscular stimulation in the future we have now produced the NeuroFour, which has a one-treatment protocol via microchip. To change parameters is as simple as inserting a new chip.
Physiotherapy, March 1998, vol84, no 3
always be eliminated and this type of manoeuvre will occasionally be unavoidable to enable wheelchair users to pursue fully their particular interests and chosen activities. The other diagram shows a folded wheelchair being lifted into a car boot and the carer is bending forwards. Since it is important to keep the load close to the body, it is virtually impossible in the real situation to keep the back straight and bend the knees. Again it is clearly stated in the text that this method should be avoided by anyone who has back problems and, when possible, another method should be used or someone else should give assistance.
Jo Kavanagh MCSP Banstead Mobility Centre
Left: Diagrams in dispute - dangerous manoeuvres or the onlypractical solution?
(Current.price f39.95.) The unit will also switch off after the recommended treatment time. This we believe will allow for research in the future with ‘accurate parameters, specifically time and dose, at a much lower cost than previously.
I Gregson Technical Director DMI Medical Ltd Wigan
Reference Knight, S, Laycock, J and Naylor, D (1998). ‘Evaluation of neuromuscular electrical stimulation in the treatment of genuine stress incontinence’, Physiotherapy, 84, 2,61-71.
Keep on Writing! Letters to the editor are always welcome. Please type or print out on one side of the paper, double spaced, if possible - although handwritten letters are acceptable.
Error Eliminated MADAM -Joan Gabbett is totally justified in her letter in the February issue of Physiotherapy in criticising the cover illustration shown from The Guide to the Handling of Patients. While I am aware that it was not directly related to the content of my leader in the December Journal, 1 must accept some responsibility for the continued use of the illustration in my role as one of the panel of authors of the fourth edition of the Guide. It had ‘slipped through the net’. However, I must reassure Mrs Gabbett and all other interested colleagues that both the illustration shown and a further misleading illustration on the back cover of the Guide have been removed from the cover of the reprint of the fourth edition which is being published this Spring.
Brian M Fletcher GradDipPhys MCSP DiplChorfC) llkeston Derbyshire