YOUR DONATIONS IN ACTION! PPAM Therapy Equipment

The Therapy Department in Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital treats a multitude of musculoskeletal conditions, mainly through orthopedic, rheumatology or pain referrals. The team will also treat people post fracture, post operation, and post diagnosis of conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Recently, the Hampshire Medical Fund provided the Therapy Department with a Pneumatic Post Amputation Mobility (PPAM) aid. The PPAM works using a pump-like system; an inflatable bag goes over the residual limb that gets pumped up within the PPAM’s frame and then that pressure allows the patients to stand and mobilize within it.

The main benefit patients will have from using the PPAM is that it allows people who have had a lower limb amputation to start mobilizing again, and to determine their potential for getting a prosthetic limb. It can also prove to boost morale after traumatic experiences. Additionally, the department itself will be benefited by this equipment as it allows the therapy team to provide equal rehab for their patients. Having PPAMs with larger diameters means that everyone has the same opportunities for rehabilitation and will not need to be turned away due to ill-fitting equipment.

When asked how she had heard about the Hampshire Medical Fund, Kathryn told us:

“Our Manager’s informed us about the charity and that we could bid for equipment. I started doing a bit more research and looking on social media, following your accounts and looking at the communications that go out to the Hampshire Hospital Trust.”

When asked how she felt about the Hampshire Medical Funds involvement in  the purchase of this equipment, MSK Therapy Team Lead, Kathryn Cartwright, replied:

“Massively! We wouldn’t have got it without the Hampshire Medical Fund, so we’re really, really grateful for it. Anything around healthcare is very, very expensive and we just don’t have the funds for it. So yes, massively helpful.”