Håkon is a five-year-old boy with the rare Vici syndrome, which led him to develop contractures in his legs. After undergoing surgery, Håkon relied on movement devices in his pursuit of self-initiated steps.
Håkon loves getting up in a standing position. This triggered physiotherapist Synøve Rusten to initiate active standing intervention. Already at 19 months of age, Håkon got his first Made for Movement device, an NF-Walker 2, to practice movement at home and in the nursery.
Despite seeing progress, Håkon developed contractures in his legs. When he was four and a half, he had to undergo surgical lengthening of the hamstrings and gastrocnemius.
READ MORE: What effect does the Innowalk have on children with gross motor impairment?
Ensuring a good range of motion with the NF-Walker
A week after the surgery, his walker was tuned to stimulate stretching of the muscles on the back of his thighs. This was done to ensure a good range of motion with weight-bearing, and to promote his ability to walk with an assistive device.
The new NF-Walker 2 has a dynamic knee-stretch system. It’s been very helpful for Håkon to take self-initiated steps.
– Synøve Rusten, Physiotherapist
As the surgery largely eliminated his spasticity, Håkon got a boost in his spontaneous motor skills. Combined with his training in the NF-Walker 2, Håkon got himself up in sitting position and was able to drag himself forward on his stomach and roll around. His head control has also improved.
To sum it all up, here are three of Håkon's experiences with the NF-Walker 2:
- He regularly exercises to improve gait and is now able to take some independent steps with the help of the dynamic knee-stretch system.
- He has improved his communication and interaction with other children.
- He now actively uses his hands to play the keyboard/piano while standing.
Sara is another child who has benefited from the NF-Walker. You can download the case story about her experiences here:
