Layout 2 - University of Central Lancashire

‘Angel’ that guards
against sports injury
UCLan research team helps perfect unique rehabilitation device.
For nearly a decade UCLan’s Allied Health
Research Unit, based within the School of
Sport, Tourism and The Outdoors, has been
working alongside clinicians in both the NHS
and private practice on a wide range of
research projects aimed at developing new
techniques in the assessment of musculoskeletal
and neurological conditions.
With an overall mission to improve the quality
of life of patients treated by allied health
professionals, the Research Unit, under the
leadership of Jim Richards, Professor of
Biomechanics, encourages inter-professional
research with direct parallels to the ‘real world’
of allied health work.
A great example of the Unit’s research
collaboration with the NHS and industry came
about when the team was asked to develop and
test a new piece of equipment designed to
reduce joint pain and to improve rehabilitation.
The ‘RehabAngel’, the brainchild of NHS
Specialist Podiatrist Neil Frame of Central and
Eastern Cheshire Primary Care Trust, has been
developed to treat tendon overuse syndromes.
“I was able to look at the problem in a different
way because of my background. It was a case of
‘physician, heal thyself’. I thought about the
solution and came up with a prototype of the
RehabAngel.”
Neil felt the device was unique but he needed
scientific, evidence-based proof that the
RehabAngel would deliver major health benefits
for its users.
After extensive analysis within UCLan’s
biomechanics lab, Professor Richards’ team
determined that the device could indeed have
major health benefits for those undertaking
rehabilitation programmes.
Professor Richards explained: “We have a research
specialism in graduated exercise and graduated
rehabilitation so we were delighted to put the
RehabAngel through its paces. The device offers
graduated incline or decline angles which may be
used for ankle stretching or knee rehabilitation.
Through our research we’ve been able to
determine how subtle changes in the angulation
affect the patient and how these changes inform
a graduated rehabilitation programme.
“The product offers a very controlled
rehabilitation method for both stretching and
squatting in a way that no other piece of
equipment on the market can do. It offers
something unique that’s of use to clinicians both
in private practice and the NHS.”
Premier League football clubs Stoke City and
Wolverhampton Wanderers already have the
RehabAngel and more top clubs are expected to
follow suit. There is also a lot of interest from the
USA, Sweden and Switzerland and it is thought
the product should be particularly helpful to skiers.
Mike Farrar, Chief Executive of NHS North West,
and Sports Tsar to the Department of Health
commented: "The NHS in the North West has the
enviable reputation of being at the forefront of
innovation in healthcare. The RehabAngel is a
great example of the NHS working successfully in
partnership with industry and academia to offer
great benefits to patients recovering from sportsrelated
injuries, knee surgeries and those whose
health is impacted by long-term conditions."
Neil explained the invention of the Angel was
driven by his own experiences as an amateur
footballer. “When I reached 30 I found myself
getting injured more often. I had problems
stretching. I knew I had tight calves.
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The RehabAngel is a great example of the NHS
working successfully in partnership with industry
‘and academia to offer great benefits to patients.
‘
Pictured right: Vikram Solanki, Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Batsman and England International, using the RehabAngel.