Case Studies
Will’s Custom Leg Brace Story
After sustaining a gunshot wound while serving with the British Army, Will Seers feels like he is on his way to getting his old life back thanks to his lightweight and bespoke carbon fibre leg brace, made by Blatchford.
In 2012, whilst serving in the military, Will suffered a gunshot wound to his abdomen. This wound caused Will a number of serious injuries, including the loss of mobility in his left leg. Will has undergone various surgeries and rehab but will never regain a high level of mobility in his leg without orthotic intervention.
After leaving the Army, Will visited the Blatchford Clinic in Sheffield and a new light-weight carbon fibre leg brace, designed specifically to help Will to cycle, was recommended and manufactured by Francesca Makey, Senior Orthotist, and our expert technicians in Sheffield. The brace is manufactured using the latest technology in composite materials, which are considerably lighter, thinner and stronger than conventional materials used within orthotic manufacture. The brace features a flexible knee joint to allow Will to bend his leg to cycle, but also lock when needed to allow him to get on and off his bike safely.
Before his injury, Will was a keen cyclist, going out on a regular basis and often travelled with his friends to try out new and exciting mountain bike trails across the country. Cycling was something Will was keen to get back to after his injury and his new streamline brace will allow him to do that.
Will commented, “This brace is seriously fantastic! It has enabled me to get back on a bike again, giving me a snippet of my former life back. I can now get back out with my friends and family again and this has really helped me.”
Will was excited to take his new brace to Planet X, a bike specialist and manufacturer in Sheffield, to undergo a professional bike fitting which uses infra-red LEDs and 3D scanning to ensure the optimal bike-fit and riding position.
With his rehabilitation nearing completion, Will is looking forward to using his new brace to cycle again and is even hoping to enter some biking competitions with disabled teams.
