Monday, November 30th, 2009 | 12:56 am

Canwest News Service

Some call it murderball, but to 15-year-old Nathan Bragg, it's a chance to showcase his athleticism while playing a full-contact sport in his wheelchair.

"For me, one of the things I absolutely love about [wheelchair] rugby is the contact," Bragg said. "I've never had the opportunity to do that before I started playing."

"The hits are pretty loud, usually quite a loud clang of metal. I've gone over a few times, but I just get up afterwards."

Still Bragg, who has cerebral palsy, said it's not as dangerous as it seems. His teammates, some of whom are quadriplegic, try to convince Bragg's mother Sheena of the sport's safety by asking, "What's the worst that can happen, I break my neck?"

Bragg started playing wheelchair rugby two years ago after being introduced to the sport at the BC Wheelchair Sports Association's junior sports camp.

Each summer, the association runs one-week day camps — some in partnership with the Easter Seals — in the Lower Mainland, Squamish, the Okanagan Valley and on Vancouver Island.

Children get to try their hand at tennis, curling, rugby, track and field, dodgeball, sledge hockey, floor hockey and basketball.

The Vancouver Sun Children's Fund provides 30 per cent of the camps' budget every year, which helps buy new equipment, rent facilities and subsidize transportation to get the youth to camp and back.

"It's really critical. Without that funding we wouldn't be able to ship chairs around the province, rent the facility and pay for the transportation," said program manager Kevin Bowie.

"[Sports] gives [children] a well-round, well-balanced lifestyle. We really try to give them all the same opportunities that an able-bodied child has," he said.

"They get to play with kids who have different disabilities, so they become a little bit more self-aware and a little bit more self-confident."

There was special inspiration for camp participants this summer with visits from Paralympic hopefuls like Darryl Neighbour, a member of Canada's national curling team.

As for Bragg, it wasn't until a wheelchair basketball team played at his school four years ago that he realized he could be playing competitive sports and winning trophies just like the other children in his class. So he joined the camp.

"Sports are my big passion," he said. "I could name every single team in every major sports league since I was nine years old, but I could never play any actual sports."

After developing his own athletic abilities over the past four years, Bragg is looking to take a leadership role at camp next summer.

"There's some kids I see now and I think, 'That guy is just like me when I was 10 or 11,'" Bragg said. "I could see . . . that he would get frustrated at the same things that I would get frustrated at and I thought I should give back and help other people like me."

When he's not smashing and crashing into his rugby teammates, Bragg spends his time on the basketball court doing circles around other athletes.

Bragg, who lives in Maple Ridge, is on the B.C. Provincial Junior Team and is focused on snagging a spot in the Canada Games being held in Halifax in 2011. And maybe even future Paralympics.

rtebrake@vancouversun.com

Words by Geoff Abbott and Pictures by Steve Ford




Nik Royale climbing mountains close to his home near Llanberis


A rock climbing enthusiast is hoping to become one of the first disabled instructors in the UK.

Nik Royale is in the final stages of a training process which will allow him to instruct at indoor climbing centres.

The 36-year-old, who lives near Llanberis, Gwynedd, has a progressive form of cerebral palsy and needs to use a wheelchair at times.

If successful, he hopes to set up disabled rock climbing clubs "to break down the barriers".

Mr Royale said: "I need the wheelchair because I can't walk all the time and after I've been climbing my legs go all shaky because it puts a lot of pressure on them.


There is a lot of misconception about the sport that it's only suitable for the very fit and very strong... it's open to absolutely everybody and Nik is very passionate about the sport and wants to publicise that fact

Jude Hargreaves, Awesome Walls, on Nik Royale, pictured
"If I pass my assessment I would like to help set up disabled rock climbing clubs because it can help with balance, coordination, physical fitness, stamina and confidence.

"I would like to break down the barriers so people in wheelchairs can actually do it," he said.

He has recently started training at a centre in Liverpool as part of a requirement to climb at three different centres, and said the more challenging facilities had helped him develop.

"Awesome Walls is huge and they're constantly changing their routes," he explained.

"It's very wheelchair-accessible and the staff are friendly and they've made me feel very welcome.

Technical skills

"They've let me train there for free and that includes two friends who can climb with me.

"I've increased my technical skills and I'm climbing a grade higher now."

He is helping at the centre as an assistant instructor and has been a hit with the younger climbers.

The centre's assistant manager, Jude Hargreaves, said people could forget his disability because he was already a "very good climbing instructor".

"He knows his stuff which is essential and we're really pleased to have him on board," said Jude, who has worked at the centre for two years.

"The way it works at the climbing wall is that we like it to be open to absolutely everybody.

"There is a lot of misconception about the sport that it's only suitable for the very fit and very strong.

"That's not the case. It's open to absolutely everybody and Nik is very passionate about the sport and wants to publicise that fact."

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Video
See the Smartchair in action. The multifunction wheelchair.

By Tim Booler
Chief reporter
A Wearside innovation could revolutionise the lives of disabled people around the world.
The humble wheelchair is about to benefit from new technology and the skills of Sunderland entrepreneurs and North East inventors.

They have devised the Smartchair, which they believe could transform the way disabled people can be transported in hospitals, care homes and even their own houses.

It works as a multi-function platform and can change from a wheelchair to a stretcher or lifting platform, without affecting stability.

The inventors say the Smartchair cuts the need for many different items for individual functions, and makes the moving process more dignified for patients.

A company, Smartchair Ltd, was set up to develop the idea through Boldon firm Em8 Technology.

The group behind the scheme includes Sunderland entrepreneur Alex Bastholm; city businessmen Neil Herron, 46, and Matthew Thoburn, 44; inventor and former Sunderland University lecturer Dr Phillip Tann; inventor Andrew Turner, from County Durham; and company directors Paul Wright and Byron Longstaff.

The Smartchair has been pitched to American experts in the field and UK hospitals as well as Sunningdale School and Ingleside Residential Home.

"Everbody who's seen the demo video has loved it," said Mr Herron, Smartchair director. "It will allow people more mobility and freedom, and make life easier for hospital staff and carers."

The idea started eight years ago when Mr Bastholm – the developer behind Dalton Park Shopping Mall – required a mobility device for his stepdad, who suffered from multiple sclerosis.

Finding nothing suitable on the market, he turned to inventor and robotics expert Andrew Turner, from the automotive industry, who came up with the innovative Smartchair design.

"We had to think outside of the box," said Mr Bastholm. "It's a massive idea. And it's a necessity not a luxury."

The company now aims to take the idea to the next step.

"We have already demonstrated the design and concept to the Georgia Institute of Technology University Hospital," said Mr Herron.

"They have indicated an early interest in the technology and they require a working prototype to proceed further.

"In association with Georgia Tech we presented the technology to the Shepherd Group, who famously helped design the wheelchair system used by Superman actor Christopher Reeve.

"We are keen to develop and manufacture in the North East and bring manufacturing jobs to the area and we are considering funding options from a number of agencies.

"We have already been supported by funding from Business Link and the Regional Technology Council and we are currently discussing the way forward with One Northeast.

"Given the interest we have had already from the States and the NHS we are confident that we will have a product ready for manufacture within 12 months."

Fellow director and investor Mr Thoburn said: "We are keen to push forward and showcase Sunderland-developed and manufactured technology on the national and world stage."

July 2, 4:41 PM · Kathryn Arbour - Denver Mobility Products Examiner



Physical therapists and durable medical equipment (DME) manufacturers and dealers have spent a lifetime telling people NEVER to use a rolling 4-wheeled walker as a wheelchair. The traditional A-frame design of these ubiquitous and mighty machine

s is not designed to be pushed or rolled in any direction with someone perched on the seat. The advantage of a rolling 4-wheeled walker with brakes and a seat is that it offers a resting option for the user who may tire easily and often. Many falling injuries occur as elders try to scoot themselves while seated on these walkers.

However, all that great advice is about to change with the arrival of combination rolling walkers/transport wheelchairs. Long on the radar screen of DME manufacturers from a design perspective, the actual translation of the design into manageable pieces of mobility equipment has taken longer than most would have guessed. Some of the earliest models as recently as five or six years ago required so much manipulation for the transformation that some claimed a degree in engineering was necessary. And, weight is always a problem with DME products whose users already have physical challenges of one sort or another.
Things changed last year as a number of manufacturers cracked the code and produced some of the first viable combination units. This review examines versions created by three different manufacturers, American Bantex, Drive Medical and Medline.
American Bantex calls their unit simply a combo walker/transport chair. It sports the A-frame typical of rolling 4-wheeled walkers. When converting to a transport wheelchair, the back rest pops out of one side and into the other. Two footrests stay folded against the side of the walker ready to pull down into position once the individual is seated. The look is attractive and unobtrusive and the actions needed are minimal to create the transformation. The one difficulty occurs with steering. Rear swivel wheels that work well as a walker create some frustrations as they become front wheels of a transport chair. The individual pushing the unit fights against these unwieldy wheels. As one of the first to market, however, at a very reasonable price point, the unit sells well and users accommodate this quirky feature.
Drive Medical also released their version, dubbed Duet, in 2008 with a few big improvements over the American Bantex. All four wheels are the same. By using larger wheels, the unit moves more smoothly both as a walker and a transporter. This manufacturer also developed a footrest that swings out of the A-frame, keeping it tucked out of the way when the unit is used as a 4-wheeled walker. The backrest is sturdier and layered with extra foam. This unit also has two handles that fold out to use as armrests when in the transporter mode. These two features alone provide more comfort to the individual. The unit weighs about the same as the American Bantex version and looks quite similar, although the folding mechanism is tight and offers challenges to typical users.
Medline, a family owned U.S. business and one of the largest provider of medical supplies and related products, is introducing its version, The Translator, this summer in a few U.S. markets. The earliest version offers a number of advantages over its competitors. First and foremost, it is considerably lighter in weight with a nylon seat and backrest and a lightweight aluminum frame. The backrest simply flips over with the simplest of movements. Medline uses the footrest design popularized by American Bantex. The unit is wider, which is both a plus and a minus. A wider seat is more appealing to a large number of users. A wider frame, however, makes it difficult to maneuver easily through stores and the insides of many older homes. Of the three models this one is by far the easiest to transform. However, of the three it is also the most difficult to fold. The seat is firmly anchored in seat guides that are exceptionally tight. While this ensures a solid sitting surface, it makes it virtually impossible to fold without assistance. Once folded, though, the Medline Translator is the lightest weight model on the market and can fit easily behind the seat of a car. No heavy lifting required.
As one of the newer DME products to hit the marketplace, the combined rolling walker and transport wheelchair is welcomed by individuals and caregivers alike. The product will not eliminate the widespread popularity of both the rolling 4-wheeled walker and the transport wheelchair, but offers a satisfying solution for families who are looking for a single solution. There is an MSRP price point differential of about $50 among all three models, although dealer pricing varies widely, especially on the internet.
For more info:
See the Drive Medical Duet
Read more about walkers
A local retailer changes one woman's life with a transport chair

Author
Kathryn Arbour is an Examiner from Denver. You can see Kathryn's articles at: "http://www.examiner.com/x-10736-Denver-Mobility-Products-Examiner

Rehabilitative Benefits of the Nintendo Wii

by Holly McCarthy on May 14, 2009
This is a guest post on the EasyStand Blog, contributed by Holly McCarthy, who writes on the subject of the sports management degree programs at an accredited university. She invites your feedback at hollymccarthy12 at gmail dot com.

Kids and Adults with disabilities can benefit from recieve rehabilitative benefits from playing Wii, besides having fun!

The Nintendo Wii has been one of the most popular game systems this decade and has even been used in rehabilitative applications for people coping with a variety of ailments. A little over a year ago doctors in Canada thought of using the system, which had been used as entertainment for young spinal cord injury recovering patients, and as therapy for patients after strokes.
What they began to realize is that this system, the Nintendo Wii, could be just what is needed to help with rehabilitation because of its ease of use and friendly interface. There are several benefits of using the Wii in rehabilitative treatments (commonly termed at Wii-hab), a few of which will be explored below.
Balance - Whether the patient is standing or sitting in a wheelchair, the controllers used to play the Wii console require balance and proper form for the best results. Using a standing frame while playing Wii can promote movement while standing, which research has shown to improve bone mineral density and strengthening.
Hand-Eye Coordination - Over time, hand-eye coordination improves through the use of video games. This is especially true of the Wii since the players’ movements are mimicked on the screen.
Entertainment - Therapy becomes more enjoyable when put in the context of a game. People who use a standing frame for Physical or Occupational Therapy can prolong their standing time by “multi-tasking” by playing Wii.
Competitive Spirit - The competitive spirit in patients who may not otherwise be able to compete is awakened. This can be great for increasing social skills as well as self-esteem.
Extension of Therapy to Home ­- While many things that are found in a therapists office are far too cost-prohibitive to be kept at home, the Wii is an affordable method of treatment that can be taken beyond the office and into the home for around $250. Additionally, friends and family can play along and join in the fun.
Helps With Memory, Problem Solving, and Decision Making Skills - All of these skills are honed through the use of video games according to studies, which may or may not be good news for parents. Playing sophisticated games helps with short-term, long-term, and muscle memory. Strategic games require problem solving and decision making skills, all of which help to enhance the experience.
The Nintendo Wii is finding enthusiasts of many abilities these days. Games and hardware have made participating in many activities from the comfort of your own home possible with a small price tag that can bring benefits to those in and out of rehabilitation care.
Have you used the Nintendo Wii for rehab or fun? What games have you enjoyed the most?