Asger’s Agilik trial journey with LOC

Asger first came to LOC when he was about two years old. At that stage, he could walk very short distances, but only for a few metres at a time. He might fall over or want his parents to pick him up.

Before trying Agilik, Asger either went to school in his wheelchair or wore his ankle foot orthoses (AFOs), often needing to stop for multiple breaks along the way.

When Sam Walmsley, Director and Senior Orthotist at LOC, introduced Agilik to the family, Holly was keen to see whether it could make walking easier and more comfortable for Asger. As a newer orthotic option for people with neurological conditions, the family hoped it would support his walking, improve his comfort over longer distances and help him enjoy more time on his feet, including on family walks.

The difference in just two weeks

When Asger was fitted with Agilik, the family felt both excited and nervous. They hoped it would help improve his walking pattern and the distance he could manage, but they were not sure what the outcome would be or how Asger would respond to it.

The family trialled Agilik for two weeks, and within that short time Holly began to notice some clear improvements. One of the biggest changes was the journey to school. The family found that Agilik cut the school run time in half, and Asger no longer needed long stops along the way. For them, that felt like a really significant change in such a short space of time.

Holly also shared that, because Agilik was supporting his walking, Asger was “quite happy to do quite a lot of stepping. He was enjoying it.”

Since using Agilik, Asger’s confidence and energy have both improved. At home, he has been much happier playing in the garden and going on his own little quests. Holly noticed that he was no longer overthinking walking in the same way, because he had more support and stability.

With Agilik and his walker, Asger had a lot more stability, which his parents were really pleased to see. His family also noticed that his walking had improved significantly, and that he was lifting his legs more. Sam also noticed these changes during the short trial period.

Asger visited our Kingston clinic to trial the Agilik and see how it could support his walking this video shows him wearing the smart orthosis during his appointment.

Read more about Asger’s journey

You can visit Asger’s Next Steps on JustGiving and read more in the BBC News article.

Asger does a lot of physiotherapy throughout the week, including at home and at school. After one session during the trial, Holly shared that his hamstrings felt relaxed, his range was good and his hip abductors were feeling loose.
Although the family only had Agilik on a trial basis, the difference it made in just two weeks gave them real encouragement. They are now fundraising in the hope of being able to purchase Agilik for Asger longer term.

Holly also spoke warmly about the support the family received throughout the process. She shared that Sam went above and beyond, making tweaks whenever they were needed and helping the family feel supported throughout. The family never felt left on their own and always had advice when they needed it.

Looking ahead, they hope that with longer-term use, Agilik will continue to support Asger’s stability and walking pattern, and help him work towards more independent walking with better stability and less reliance on his walker.