Why Mobility Aids Are So Important – Case Study 2 - Bigfoot Half Step

Posted by Mike Phipps on December 21, 2021

Hello! I'm Kate Makin, Ability Superstore’s resident Occupational Therapist (OT). I am here to answer your queries. I also write articles and guides to assist you in choosing the right mobility aids.

As an OT, I work with a variety of individuals who are all ages, have many different illnesses, injuries and long-term disabilities.

For this blog, I thought I would share an example of the type of work that I do with you. This case study shows how a specific mobility aid has made a significant difference in a person's everyday living. 

Case Study: Miss G – Bigfoot Half Step with Support Handles

Earlier this year, I assessed Miss G – a 29-year-old lady who had been involved in a serious road traffic collision. Among her life-changing injuries, she had severely hurt her left brachial plexus. The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that sends signals from the spinal cord to the shoulder, arm and hand. Unfortunately, this meant that Miss G had no use of her left arm, and her left shoulder joint would often dislocate. For this reason, she needed to wear a sling.

When I first met Miss G, she was experiencing a lot of pain and discomfort. She was living alone in her home, and due to the seriousness of her injuries, she had to return to living with her parents.

Miss G needed daily help from a home carer with dressing, showering and preparing meals.

When I met Miss G, one of her main goals was to return to living in her own home, but this was going to be a lengthy and difficult process. Many things needed to be changed in her own home to make it safe and suitable for her to live there. For example, her bathroom had to be adapted to a wet room. She also required various mobility aids to assist her with everyday things.

How A Bigfoot Half Step Would Help

The access at Miss G’s home was not ideal, as there was a high step at the front door, and she didn’t feel safe going in and out of her home. She was always worried about falling and causing more damage to her left shoulder, or injuring her ‘good’ arm.

There weren’t any grab rails fitted at the front door, so there was nothing for Miss G to hold onto with her right hand to steady herself whilst she was stepping in and out of the house, so I recommended a Bigfoot Half Step. This mobility aid would help, as she wouldn’t have to manage one high step, as the Bigfoot Half Step creates an in-between step, or a half step. 

I also recommended that Miss G have support handles on both sides of the step. This meant that she had something to hold onto with her right hand when she was stepping in and out of her house. This would make Miss G feel much safer and confident.

The Bigfoot Half Step is an ideal way of making steps in and out of a home easier to manage. The height of the step can be adjusted to suit different heights, and they are safe, sturdy, and long-lasting.

The Bigfoot Half Step can come without handles on each side, or with one or two handles. They are often a quicker and more cost-effective option than a more permanent structure, or adapting the access for example, with concrete steps, or ramps.

For Miss G, the Bigfoot Half Step made her feel much safer stepping in and out of her own home. It was another aid that would help her get her independency back.

The Bigfoot Half Step with support handles is an ideal access solution for people with walking difficulties, or reduced confidence with steps.

 

 

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