Physio goes the extra mile to improve the lives of young people with cerebral palsy

Physiotherapist and first-time academic researcher, Clare Grodon, has had a research study published in a national health journal.

 

Clare’s research investigated whether the quality of life of 25 children living with cerebral palsy would change after regularly using a specialised piece of equipment called the ‘Innowalk Pro.’

 

The Innowalk Pro is a piece of equipment that has been specially designed to allow a child or young person, who has never been able to stand independently or walk, to have the experience of being upright and moving around.

 

Clare has worked for Whittington Health NHS Trust as a physiotherapist for 11 years and for the last 8 has been based at Richard Cloudesley School in Islington, a special school for children and young people living with a severe and complex physical disability.

 

Clare saw the Innowalk Pro as an opportunity to help improve the quality of the lives of the students at Richard Cloudesley, but found there was no research proving the equipment could be used effectively in a classroom. 

 

The 25 students who were recruited into the study used the Innowalk Pro in their classrooms for six weeks, four times a week and for 30 minutes at a time. Measuring the trial’s success was done via a ‘quality of life’ questionnaire, designed specifically for those living with cerebral palsy. To help establish the students’ baseline, parents were asked to fill in this questionnaire before the research started.

 

The results showed an improvement in areas of the student’s lives, including pain management, sleep, medication, and comfort. Their teachers also noted an improvement in their engagement in classroom activities.

 

Clare also saw an improvement in functional goals for the students on the trial, and was able to prove that when the intervention stopped, the students returned to their baseline levels after 3 months. Her study has now been published in Child: Care Health and Development Journal, which is open to health care professionals around the UK.

 

The Innowalk Pros used in Clare’s trial were graciously loaned to the school by Made for Movement Global. They are priced at around £40,000 each. The success of Clare’s research led to the school setting up a fundraiser and purchasing two Innowalks.

 

Clare Grodon said, “When you work in a special school, you are always working towards the goals of improving the quality of life of the students.

 

“I saw my research as an extension of my normal 9-5 duties so it did not feel in any way like ‘extra work’.

 

“Normally research studies are done as part of a person’s PhD or Master degree qualification. But I wanted to prove to the school and the parents that this equipment could help our kids with cerebral palsy.

 

“Having my work published proves that physios can do things like this. We can prove what is effective. I can now use the Innowalk Pros prescriptively and can show our team with certainty, ‘this is how we prescribe this equipment’”

 

Caroline Brown, Assistant Headteacher from Richard Cloudesley school said, “Clare’s research enabled the school to have the confidence to purchase the Innowalks knowing that there was evidence to back-up this innovative approach.

 

“The pilot and research project bought Whittington Health NHS Trust therapists, Richard Cloudesley staff together with the Made for Movements professionals with an exciting opportunity to make a difference.

 

“I am pleased to say that the Innowalks have been sustained in our both primary and secondary areas. We have seen increase in attention and focus in learning whilst pupils are on the Innowalk and immediately following their use.

 

“Whilst it wasn’t easy to afford to purchase two Innowalks, it was worth all the fundraising efforts when you see individuals making small but significant progress with their quality of life”.