Emirati walks again after accident that left him immobile for months

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 Emirati, walks again, accident, immobile, months

Abu Dhabi - The 40-year-old Emirati found hope when a team of multi-disciplinary specialists stepped in.

By Saman Haziq

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Published: Tue 22 Sep 2020, 5:00 PM

Last updated: Wed 23 Sep 2020, 10:44 AM

A massive road accident left Ahmed Al Khateri battered, bruised and broken. He suffered multiple fractures in his pelvis and left hip, along with nerve injuries and mental trauma. The thought of not being able to stand and walk normally again loomed large - especially when he was moved to a wheelchair.
But the 40-year-old Emirati found hope when a team of multi-disciplinary specialists stepped in.
The Al Ain resident had a near-perfect surgery for the bone damage soon after the crash, yet he had lost his ability to move, stand and walk independently.
A month later, he was transferred to a rehab facility - and although he was completely immobile and had severe back pain at that time, he was back on his feet in 15 weeks.
It turned out, he needed more than a surgery.
Dr Ahmad Al Khayer, physical medicine and rehabilitation consultant at NMC ProVita Centre, and the medical director at NMC Provita, said that although Al Khateri's surgery was "beautifully done", the operation itself was just one part of the complex accident recovery process.
"Apart from bones, his muscles, nerves, skin and mental state were affected, too. Surgery is only a small part of the recovery process from such big accidents. The journey to complete recovery is a long one as it involves a whole rehab process, which is a multidisciplinary approach that takes into consideration many different aspects of a patient's wellbeing such as various kind of therapies, medication, exercises, etc," Dr Al Khayer said.
"If the patient was left without rehab, he would probably have been wheelchair-bound. Without proper rehab, your body gets used to staying relaxed and your unused muscles and bones would leave you completely incapacitated."
Al Khateri stayed at the rehab facility for 15 weeks, where he underwent three to four hours of physical and occupational therapies every day. Experts have also got his back - from physiotherapists to rehab consultants, chiropractors and mental trauma specialists.
After three and a half months of intensive rehabilitation, including pain management, he was able to stand and walk, with occasional help of an elbow crutch, and get back to his daily activities. He was able to eat, groom himself, dress up, and take a bath all on his own.
"From the first day that I was transferred to NMC ProVita, I was given tremendous confidence by the specialised medical and rehabilitation team. The team worked hard to restore significant improvements in my ability to stand and walk. I am very grateful for all the efforts made by the medical team to improve my condition at the centre," said Al Khateri, who recently returned to work.
"The good interactions between my family, the rehabilitation team and I played a key role in this successful recovery."
Commenting on the recognitions received over the years for its work in the community, Michael Davis, CEO of NMC Healthcare said: "ProVita is now officially accredited for 3 years by CARF International combining the accreditations for the inpatient rehab program with the long-term community program making it the only such provider in the UAE."
saman@khaleejtimes.com 
 


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