cycling as a semi paralysed person
My boyfriend is semi paralysed after an accident on 15 December 2014. There is no feeling at the bottom of his feet and the back of his legs. He has bought a stationary bicycle where he can sit and have his legs outstretched in front of him. Problem is that his feet are floppy and are awkwardly bending forward (pointy toes). Do you get pedals that can keep your feet straight (so they are pointing up in a natural position)? Advice would be greatly appreciated. Don't want to go buy a whole new bicycle, only looking to get pedals. Thanks Tracey
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Paul Richoux on
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Hi Tracey,
Has your boyfriend considered clip in pedals? Where basically he would have to buy special cycling shoes that clip onto the pedals (which would be purchased to match the grove on the shoes)?
I think they're usually used in competitive cycling but from your description it sounds like they might work for his particular problem.
Hope that helps but I'll rack my brain and see if anything else practical comes to mind.
Paul
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Permalink Reply by Tracey Troskie on
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Hi Paul
Thanks for your response, are the pedals you are talking about called cleats? We tried that and it didn't work. Problem is that his feet are floppy, so where as we can keep ours up his fall down. Position is totally awkward.
There must surely be something out there????
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Hi Again Tracey,
I'm asking around to see if I can get some people more experienced in this area to take a closer look at your problem. Fingers crossed someone will come up with the goods. As you say; there must be something out there.
Paul
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Permalink Reply by Mary Guild on
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Hi Tracey
Re the floppy feet, it might be worthwhile contacting an orthotist to make little ankle splints that slip inside footwear giving the foot more rigidity. I'm no cyclist but as result of childhood polio I have a floppy foot and the splint is great to keep it stable.
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the kind of splint that you'll be probably be looking for is a Posterior Leaf Spring (PLS), which gently flexes the ankle from behind and underneath, replacing the action of the muscle at the front of the shin. A solid splint that encloses the ankle, and has a significant stabilising function, may cause its own issues during the cycling action.
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Thanks for all of the feedback. He already has AFO's which he wears to work and for walking with his crutches. As Jeremy mentioned these may cause issues during cycling. I will look into those Leaf Springs that you mentioned, and see if they will work. Now to see if I can find them out here in South Africa.
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Hi Jeremy, went and googled and found a dorsi lite foot splint and drop foot brace. Do you think it is fine to cycle with one of these things? It wont cause any damage to ankle?
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Hi Tracey,
I asked around and somebody suggested a couple things which might work for your boyfriend. See the links below...
- Self Levelling Foot Sandal, Ankle Support
I hope that one of these can help but let me know if that's not quite it and we will keep looking.
Paul
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Hi Paul
Thanks for all of your help, and for asking around. Let me show Sean tonight and see what he thinks of these different options.
Will keep you all posted.
Tracey
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Hi Paul
Sean liked the self leveling foot sandal. Have written to the site but still waiting for them to respond. Need to find out if they will send to SA.
Will keep you posted
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Hi Tracey,
Yeah please keep us posted on how things go. I think this really shows bespoken at it's best when someone can come with a question like this and everyone chips in a suggestion. Let's us know how you get on.
Paul
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Hi Paul
Can you believe i am still waiting for someone to get back to me with a costing? Someone wrote back after a few weeks and said that someone would contact me and I am still waiting. Sean has not cycled in a while now as he is waiting for the correct pedals.
Not sure what to do, all i needed was a costing so that i can pay and get the pedals to SA.
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