Meet Tom! Tom is a happy and loving 7-year-old boy who lives with his family in Northern Ireland. He loves music, any toys that make noise (the noisier the better!), and spending time with his family. Tom has Epilepsy, a visual impairment, and displays ataxic movements with generalized hypotonia (equivalent GMFCS IV).
Tom had been using his Leckey MyWay gait trainer at home and at school for a few years and enjoyed being in it. However, Tom's uncontrolled lower limb movements meant that achieving a reciprocal gait pattern was tricky and he tended to propel himself forward by contacting the floor with one leg, planting it, and then that pushed the frame. When the wheel direction was free, he tended to move sideways to the right and his left side was stronger, meaning that he pushed more with his left leg.
When Tom tried the new Leckey MyWay+, it was decided that the wheel direction would be locked and anti-rollbacks would be applied so that any movement that he was able to generate would move him forward. The resistance setting was also kept low on all the wheels so the frame was as easy as possible to move, but further down the line, the resistance could be slightly increased on the left wheels (as his left side is stronger). This would give the leg muscles on his right side a chance to work, instead of the left side always taking over.
Unfortunately, Tom has periods of being quite unwell due to seizure activity, which can leave him flat in the days following. His mother had thought about getting him a specialist trike so that we was still able to move his legs, even if it's while being pushed. However, there were concerns about transferring into the frame (as Tom is hoisted for all his transfers) and if a trike would provide enough support for days when he's not feeling his best.
Tom trialed the MyWay Pedal but because he didn't have a reciprocal stepping pattern, it was felt that Tom might find the Pedal too difficult. To everyone's surprise, Tom was able to move himself forward! As his feet were strapped into the foot sandals, it reduced some of his uncontrolled movements and helped Tom focus his energy in pushing downward. The reciprocal movement of the Pedal meant that when Tom pushed down with one leg, the other leg was helped around. This aided Tom in achieving an elliptical pattern, which is a closer movement to walking than cycling, which is hoped will help Tom with his stepping ability when he uses the MyWay+ without the Pedal attachment. Also, as the Pedal is attached when Tom is already in the frame, he can be hoisted in as normal and still have all the support of the harness and shoulder straps.
Feedback from family
"Tom loves the freedom of movement and experiencing movement in a different way."
"He is able to kick a ball with his brothers and is able to see things from a different perspective than in his wheelchair."