Physiotherapists working for Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust now have new equipment to help them guide patients through their rehabilitation following serious sports injuries such as ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament), rotator cuff (shoulder) tears and Achilles tendon ruptures among others.
The trust’s charity team has spent £1,956.22 on two wireless hand-held dynanometers – instruments which enable physiotherapists to accurately measure a patient’s muscle strength in kilograms or pounds of force to determine how their recovery is progressing and whether or not they are fit to return to their sport.
Clinical lead physiotherapist Linda McCullough explained: “Measuring muscle strength is an important outcome measure used in physiotherapy. We already had equipment to measure grip strength but were having to rely on asking patients with lower limb or rotator cuff injuries to push against our resistance for strength testing. It was then up to the individual physiotherapist to grade what they felt on a scale of 0-5.
“The dynanometers, which give a digital reading, are therefore more precise and can help us track a patient’s progress more accurately to ensure they’re ready for their next stage of rehabilitation.”
Joanna Allitt, the charity team’s fundraising manager, said: “Linda and her team will use the dynanometers daily. They are estimating just short of 400 patients a month, in rehab treatment at either the Royal Preston Hospital or Chorley and South Ribble Hospital, will benefit. We are therefore delighted to have been able to use our charitable funds to purchase this important equipment to maximise patients’ recovery from serious injury.”