RNOH receives first NHS Lyra Gait Trainer from RNOH Charity

Posted by June Heath on 08 October 2024

We are thrilled to announce that fundraising of £150,000 for a Lyra Gait Trainer for patients at RNOH is complete! A first for the NHS, this remarkable device supports and guides spinal cord injury patients, enabling them to complete up to 20 times more walking practice than before and bringing hope of a better recovery. The Lyra has just been installed at Stanmore and is already making a real difference to patients’ lives.

Patient Keith is from West Sussex and was one of the first to try the Lyra. Keith came to RNOH with a spinal tumour in 2024. Surgery was a success but Keith was unable to walk after such a major operation so it was crucial to get him moving again in the short time the body has to retrain the nerves.

Keith says: “The tumour was inside my spinal cord so it was a very delicate operation and resulted in a numb feeling in my legs. Having had the surgery and after lying on my back for so long, the muscle wastage was also obvious. I need to build up my legs again.”

Traditionally, physiotherapists hold up and manipulate the body during rehabilitation after spinal cord injury, which takes several people and cannot be maintained for long periods. However, the Lyra has changed that for people like Keith. It could have taken months but Keith completed 100 steps the first time he tried the Lyra and 200 the next, just five weeks after his operation.

Keith adds: “What’s innovative about this machine is that it gives you the feeling of walking. That’s ideal for my recovery and what they do at this hospital. The service they provide here is beyond belief. To those who supported this initiative, I can’t thank you enough.”

RNOH Clinical Specialist and Lead Physiotherapist Benita Hexter says: “We are so pleased to receive this addition to the equipment we have to help the rehabilitation of those with spinal cord injury. The Lyra Gait Trainer is already helping people to practise walking sooner and for longer than we were able to achieve before and the results are remarkable. Patients are delighted to be able to set out more easily on what can be a really challenging rehabilitation journey.

“The Lyra is making an enormous difference to patients and helping our teams to do more. We hope to demonstrate the impact of robot-assisted gait training and inspire the NHS to find ways to make such opportunities available across the country. We’d like to send our sincere thanks to all of the RNOH Charity supporters who helped to make this a reality for everyone who needs it, now and in the future.”