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Musmate My experiences Jan-May '07 |
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I was given a newspaper cutting about Musmate, a new walking aid for those with MS in January 2007. I used a walker. I could walk. I did not think Musmate was something that would help me.
I changed my mind when I heard Ken and Anne Artimage, who invented and developed Musmate, talking on local radio one evening. Ken said, ‘It also helps get the small muscles working again.’ That was what I needed. I was on the phone the next day.
Ken and Anne visited me and fitted me with a single Musmate for my right leg. They also mentioned it would be a good idea to walk as much as possible with a person and not always the walker as that would help improve balance.
Over the next few weeks I used Musmate regularly. I live on a slope but parts of the road are reasonably flat. I started walking short distances beyond my garden. Adjusting the amount of support and height of the foot lift definitely helped me get back up to my drive. Visitors were asked ‘to take me for a walk’. I warned them I would be relying on them for balance. My free arm would sometimes move wildly as if excited at being let free.
There was an improvement in balance and feeling of more normal movement, but not always accompanied by the intended movement but that is improving as well. And yes the tiny muscles in my feet are being woken up. My feet no longer feeling like painful blobs at the end of my legs but are starting to feeling more foot-like.
I find Musmate helps when getting in and out of a car as I can lift my right leg round. I think it has been a contributing factor in improving my posture. |