Sometimes the best adaptions are the simplest. Duct-tape and foam are the adaptive coach’s best friends, but Stratford-upon-Avon has added another handy implement – the bungee cord.
- “Phil has been with us several months and suffers from progressive MS. Phil can use 2 sticks for short distances but is otherwise a wheelchair user. It became clear that after rowing about 1km he ceased to use his legs. Experimentation determined the problem was initiating the movement back up the slide towards front stops. The solution arrived at was a bungee cord between the axle of his seat and the wing rigger. It took us a while to get the tension right. This initiates the movement for him. It’s low tech but it works!! He did 5km in today’s outing all with leg use. It will be interesting to know what the umpires say when he uses the bungee for racing.” There is a clear therapeutic benefit here. We hope Phil will be able to use a sliding seat for the foreseeable future.
