Use of Motomed Bikes without Therapy Team Supervision

Standard procedures

 

USE OF MOTOMED BIKES WITHOUT THERAPY TEAM SUPERVISION

 

Purpose:

To allow the guest to exercise safely, efficiently and frequently during their stay at Leuchie.

Motomed bikes are machines that can be used with legs or arms and are designed for both active and passive movement. Leuchie House has a number of Motomed machines, some of which are currently located in the lounges for use by guests that have been assessed as safe to do so, under supervision of the care team (or other staff members authorised by the therapy team) rather than the therapy team. Although Motomeds are generally very safe, it is possible for injury to occur if a guest is not suitable for the machine and, as a lot of our guests have progressive conditions, it is important that they are assessed regularly.

Check before allowing Motomed use:

• The guest must have a current assessment in place showing them as suitable for Motomed use within the current holiday (assessments and their dates can be found on the Current Assessment section of PCS under Physical/Mobility and Motor Control). The default assessment is for legs. If it refers to arms, this will be specified.

 

• If the care team member has any concerns at all, these must override the current assessment. The concerns should be noted on PCS (both in the notes and on the Current Assessment) and the Physiotherapist informed. The guest must then pass another assessment before being allowed on the Motomed.

 

If the guest is able to use the Motomed with care team supervision:

 

• Ensure that the Motomed is set up for the appropriate type of exercise (i.e. legs or arms) by loosening the hand-screws either side of the central pillar to swing arm pedals out of the way if using feet or to move them to the front if using arms. Retighten the screws. 

 

• It is acceptable to move the Motomed (for example, so it is out of direct sunlight or so the guest can watch TV while cycling) but please do this carefully and before applying the guest to the Motomed. The Motomed can be easily moved by tilting it onto its back wheels and holding the handlebar while wheeling it. Do not move the Motomeds out of the room they are in. Motomeds should not be placed in guest bedrooms. 

 

• Switch the Motomed on at the wall and the machine before applying the guest. 

 

• The guest should be helped onto the Motomed following any specific instructions in the Current Assessment. Use the Velcro straps on the foot/arm guides. There are blue neoprene mitts available on the ground floor that will help guests with limited grip function.

 

• Place the chair/wheelchair so that the guest’s legs/arms are not fully straightened during the cycle. They should retain a gentle bend at the elbow/knee even when the pedal is at its furthest position. 

 

• If the guest does not use a wheelchair, a sturdy chair should be provided (not one with wheels – try one from the dining room). If necessary, a manual wheelchair could be borrowed from Therapy for use with the Motomed. 

 

• If the guest uses a wheelchair, the brakes MUST be applied throughout the session.

 

• Both wheelchair and chair must be positioned so that they do not tilt significantly during operation. If you notice a tilt, stop the Motomed and reposition the guest carefully so that they are slightly further away from the machine. Rubber wedges are available from the Therapy team if required to prevent tipping. 

 

• The height of the handles/handlebars may need to be adjusted for comfort or to keep them out of the way of the guest’s knees. This is done by bracing the handlebars and then loosening the large black screw at the back of the machine, lifting to the correct position and then tighten the screw to lock in place. Ensure the handles do not drop onto the guest’s legs when doing this. 

 

• Select the foot insertion button on the Motomed (blue button on the left side of the screen) to bring up controls that move the pedals for easier insertion. 

 

• Once strapped in, use the foot insertion controls to perform at least one full cycle to ensure that the pedals/handles and the guest’s arms/legs do not catch on anything (check particularly that the front of the wheelchair and the cushion are not caught by the calf shells, that the guest’s arms or legs are not pushed into their wheelchair by the movement and that knees do not touch the handlebars as the legs are raised).

 

• Only the settings and recommended times prescribed by the Therapy team are to be used. The speed/gear settings are along the bottom and the duration setting is selected by pressing Menu and using left/right to increase or decrease, then selecting back to return to the session.

 

• Check that spasm control (a small green lightning bolt) is on and, if not, press Menu and select this to be on. 

 

• The guest should be supervised to the level recommended by the Therapy Team. 

 

• If the guest experiences pain or discomfort during the session, it should be stopped immediately and the Therapy team informed. 

 

• Ensure guest has access to a call bell during the session, if they are suitable to be left alone.

 

• If the guest wishes to have a longer session or increase the resistance or speed significantly above the maximums shown on the Current Assessment, please check with the Physiotherapist before doing this. For insignificant increases (such as 5% longer, 1 gear up, 5 speed levels higher), the care team may exercise judgement, bearing in mind the levels of fatigue that the guest experiences. 

 

• Monitor guest’s wellbeing and record the session on PCS along with any observations (e.g. John Smith: 10 minutes active at Gear 4, reduced to gear 2 as guest felt tired)

 

• If any issues occur, inform a member of therapy team and ensure this is mentioned at handover. 

 

L Wallace 09/01/25 for review January 2026