Kids Physio London (KPL) is a private practice with highly dedicated and competent physiotherapists, serving children with special needs and their families. They always work closely together with the family to understand their needs and ensure the children reach their maximum potential, using evidence-based practice.
Back in 2011 Donna Nicol decided to follow her dream to start her own private physiotherapy practice serving children and teenagers with special needs and their families. She is a highly qualified paediatric physiotherapist with over 18 years of experience from both NHS and private hospital. Donna is a an extremely motivated, conscientious and committed therapist seeking for development of her skills to offer the children the best treatment. «My colleagues in the clinic and I work towards a holistic approach, where the intension always is to help the children to reach maximum potential» Donna explains.
Their work philosophy is to put the families at the centre, believing that the family perspective is the key to success. Hence, they are always working closely together with all the family members, setting long- and short-term goals and evaluating progress continuously to adapt goals accordingly.
In addition to Donna, KPL has of 3 full time employed physiotherapists and several associates working in the practice, as well as a private occupational therapy team that complements the service the clinic offers.
Who is treated at Kids Physio London?
The clinic is predominantly treating paediatric patients with neurological conditions, metabolic disorders and developmental delay. A large percentage are children and adolescents with CP, but they also see children with for example muscular diseases like SMA and Duchenne. Functional levels vary from less complex to very complex needs.
What type of treatment is offered at the clinic?
“We use a large variety of therapeutic tools to support the child and the family. It can be guidance and floor work to using specialist equipment like the Innowalk Pro. All depending on the individual child. The treatment is always tailored to fit that single person’s needs” Donna tells. The clinic also offers hydrotherapy. This is a modality Donnas is very passionate about as she feels it offers patients multiple benefits. The clinic also provides orthotic services and advice on assistive devices for home use.
Innowalk Pro training - an integrated part of the treatment
Since 2017 the Innowalk Pro, a robotic rehabilitation trainer, has been an integrated part of the treatment offered at KPL. The Innowalk Pro is offered to a variety of patients, but mostly to those with more complex needs.
“I find the Innowalk Pro to be an excellent tool to help prepare the body for therapy” Donna explains. “The movement of the body in standing with weight-bearing reduces high tone and helps the child to work more effectively on specific tasks afterwards. In addition, we have experienced that the movement in the Innowalk Pro provides patients of various conditions, as well as those with more complex needs, access to physical activity. This has had a huge impact on their overall quality of life and well-being. From an orthopaedic perspective as well as, gastrointestinal, mood improvement and even sleep” she continues.
”We have seen children, not previously able to transfer weight through their lower limbs, showing incredible progress. After 6-12 months of training with the physiotherapist in combination with the Innowalk Pro they have been able to move on to a walking device and even onto treadmill training.
Summary of outcomes of using the Innowalk Pro in the clinic:
- Offers aerobic activity for patients with moderate to severe disabilities
- Reduces muscle tone
- Increases ROM
- Improves sleep pattern
- Increases engagement and enjoyment of training for the patient
- Improves functional skills
I feel the Innowalk Pro compliments my existing therapy practice well. When I see an appropriate patient, I incorporate the Innowalk Pro to the treatment program. Very often I use the Innowalk Pro to prepare the child’s body prior to 1:1 therapy.
– Donna Nicol.
How do I get in contact with Kids Physio London?
KPL is located across two clinics in Chigwell, Greater London, and general treatment is provided either here or at an individual’s home. The clinic mainly covers London (within the M25), Essex and Hertfordshire. For more information about how to get in contact with the Kids Physio London follow this link.
Can I try out the Innowalk at Kids Physio London?
For more details about the services offered, pricing and for booking a session to try the Innowalk Pro, or to set up regular sessions at the clinic, please contact the clinic directly using the contact page on the KPL website.
If you would like to enquire about a loan or trial of an Innowalk for home use this can be discussed after the initial assessment and if it is deemed appropriate for the user.
Lucas - a child treated at Kids Physio London
Lucas is a beautiful and smart 11 years old boy. Lucas was diagnosed with quadriplegic CP which affects all his four limbs. He is classified on the Gross Motor Function Classification Scale as level IV. Lucas attends weekly physiotherapy sessions at our Kids Physio London clinic.
Lucas has a very strong presentation of dystonia. The right side of his body appears to be more affected than the left. This has made it quite challenging for Lucas to achieve and experience full body alignment when using his walker or participating in standing activities. Over a prolonged period of time this has led to muscle flexion contractures. A common challenge for patients with dystonic patterns. Maintaining their joint range of movement is a very important and challenging goal as those muscles ‘’don’t like to be stretched!’ However, achieving this has become more effective with the Innowalk Pro.
The supported and corrected upright position in combination with dynamic standing means their muscle tone is significantly reduced and allows for more joint range access, whilst stretching his lower limb muscles in a correct pattern of movement. This is hugely important and something that I would say is impossible to replicate manually with a regular gait trainer.
Lucas was reluctant at first to try the Innowalk Pro, but after a few sessions the Innowalk Pro has become his favourite activity in our physiotherapy sessions.
In the Innowalk Pro Lucas is able to experience movement that closely resembles a normal gait pattern using the full range of movement available in his lower limbs. Lucas has accessed the Innowalk Pro weekly and since has improved his lower limb joint range of movement significantly and has managed to sustain it even during growth spurts.
After 4 months of accessing the Innowalk Pro almost weekly Lucas demonstrated great progress as he started to engage and push actively through his legs during the session. This was a development of function I had not anticipated.
Should Lucas continue to repeatedly engage in this activity during dynamic standing in the Innowalk Pro he will improve his lower limbs dissociation pattern and strength, which will hopefully aid his endurance and independence when using his walker or whilst practicing his standing activities.
– Andreea Drgunoiu, Paediatric Physiotherapist, Kids Physio London
