Parksville Qualicum MLA Michelle Stilwell took her first extended steps in 27 years this week, using a special mechanical device.
Stilwell was involved in an accident at age 17 that left her a quadriplegic. Losing the ability to walk didn鈥檛 curtail her deep love of sports and she eventually went on to become one of Canada鈥檚 most-decorated Paralympic athletes, winning multiple gold medals for Canada in wheelchair basketball and wheelchair racing.
Stilwell visited the clinic in Victoria for a session on a 鈥攁 device that provides highly repetitive and physiological gait training for patients with neurological issues.
The user is suspended in a harness over the treadmill, and the robotic frame is fitted to the client鈥檚 legs. The robotic frame then moves the client鈥檚 legs (with or without the client鈥檚 active participation) in a natural walking pattern.
Using the Lokomat, Stilwell was able to walk 800 metres (1,140 steps), more than she鈥檚 done in nearly three decades.
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鈥淚t鈥檚 a different perspective being that tall when you鈥檙e so used to sitting all the time,鈥� Stilwell said. 鈥淚t actually felt like walking. It鈥檚 been 27 years鈥� but it felt realistic to me.鈥�
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Stilwell said she had tried a walking brace about 22 years ago but that, because of the state of technology back then, it was quite stiff and basically felt like a body cast.
鈥淚n my old brace I couldn鈥檛 flex my ankles, I couldn鈥檛 get that realistic gait pattern that you get from walking,鈥� she said.
Huge smiles today! Hey , I walked 800m today.! Over 1440 steps. 馃槈 More than I have done 27 years! Personal Best that will need to be bettered next time. Thanks .
鈥� Michelle Stilwell (@Stilwell4BC)
She said at first, using the Lokomat felt uncomfortable because her hips were tight, but after some adjustments to the machine she was able to loosen up and could take larger steps.
Stilwell said she was recommended the Lokomat by MLA for Surrey-Panorama, Stephanie Cadieux.
鈥淚 had a bone density test done almost two years ago and that鈥檚 something fairly common for somebody with a spinal cord injury, you kind of monitor things because when you鈥檙e not walking, your risk of osteoporosis increases,鈥� Stilwell said. 鈥淎bout a year ago, I also got a standing frame for work so that I would do more weight bearing during the day to help decrease my risk of osteoporosis because my bone density test had shown I had jumped quite a bit. Then when Stephanie was telling me about [the Lokomat] I thought 鈥榯hat sounds fantastic.鈥欌��
Stilwell said the benefits of using the Lokomat for her are that it will help with flexibility and weight bearing, which could help decrease the risk of osteoporosis.
She said she hopes to continue using the device but will have to look into it further as sessions are fairly expensive at $175.
鈥淪ome health care benefits will cover it when you do it with a physiotherapist so I鈥檓 looking at whether that鈥檚 an option,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 certainly use my standing frame everyday that I can when I鈥檓 here in Victoria.鈥�
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