To ensure that we have designed the most useful and effective tool for physiotherapists to use with patients we have done a substantial amount of analysis and evaluation both within the NHS and in patients homes.
In 2020/21 we managed to perform a successful clinical trial with a small cohort of patients at Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Trust. This showed that the S-Press was safe, feasible for use in the NHS, easy to integrate into usual care and effective in strengthening the leg muscles and improving the functional task of sit to stand. This was not a randomised control trial and patients were receiving normal physio care, but the patients involved were complex and struggling with their rehab so not progressing. The S-Press helped them all get their rehab started and achieve their goals.
Some of these reasons for the patients slow progress are noted below:
PT 1 - Guillain Barre Syndrome - History of bilateral Talipes as a baby, corrected as an infant, but remaining deformity affecting standing rehab. Acute injury to knee ligament through turning in the ITU also causing pain on weight bearing.
PT 2 - Peri-prosthetic fracture with IM nail insertion - History of bilateral total knee replacement and bilateral total hip replacements within last 10 years. Pain ++ and extreme swelling and anxiety around rehab and anyone moving or touching her knee.
PT 3 - Fractured NOF - slow rehab due to old CVA affecting his unfractured side.
PT 4 - Gentleman with pancreatitis in ITU for 101 days - extreme deconditioning
PT 5 - Post op bowel resection for cancer diagnosis - post op cardiac complications and unwell for several weeks in bed causing deconditioning ++
In 2023/24 we successfully performed a 12-month real-world evaluation across 4 NHS sites. Report due in November 2024
During 2023 and 2024 several NHS Trusts had free of charge short term loans in different clinical areas:
Complex orthopaedics - revision surgeries
Cardiothoracic
Acute medicine
ITU
Renal
Stroke Unit
Orthopaedics
Frailty / Older peoples rehab
S-Press has also been taken home by a patient who continued to use it at home to enhance and speed up his recovery after his discharge from hospital, with excellent success.
