Documented by Cheryl Flint, Extended Scope Hand Therapist at King’s Mill Hospital.
Hand Surgery and Therapy – BTE
At a similar time, Professor Franke Burke from the Pulvertaft Hand Unit began clinics at Mansfield General Hospital and strived to promote Hand Surgery and Therapy in a huge way promoting and supporting our service at Crow Hill Rehabilitation Centre and later at Kings Mill.
Discussions with Frank Burke regarding the intrigue of the work simulator proved to be fruitful and he was able to fund our first BTE in 1991 with monies from British Coal and the Union of Democratic mineworkers.
This enabled me, a Physiotherapist and ergonomic OT from Derby to visit the BTE company in Baltimore and spend time at the union memorial Hospital in Baltimore for 2 weeks and travel on to the Indiana Hand Centre for a further week.
This was a huge opportunity and learning curve and the experience was hugely valuable in developing our service.
High standard of evaluation/assessment
The BTE over the years has enabled us to provide a high standard of evaluation/assessment and rehabilitation to many upper limb patients in all stages of trauma and upper limb conditions.
The uniqueness of the machine is only limited by the Therapist.
The combination of the available exercise modes and the variety of tools and positions in which it can be used can be achieved for the benefit of the patient by an interested Therapist.
Most patients are keen to set goals and see achievements in rehab recorded on the machine. During evaluation objective data is valuable in planning appropriate treatment/advice.
The use of the BTE is time efficient in providing purposeful goals and monitors improvement from home exercise programmes/activities.
We rarely experience poor patient feedback.
The BTE Primus occupies an important place in our Hand and Upper Limb Clinic and is used daily.