Handicare Bure Side Support, Adjustable

The Handicare Bure Side Support, Adjustable is Direct Healthcare Group's padded lateral support for the Bure walker range, manufacturer code 56-337. It mounts on the frame beside the user and gives their trunk something to rest against, which is what keeps somebody who lists to one side upright and inside the walker. Westin Healthcare ships it across Canada and fits it on a service visit across Brampton and the GTA.

It is supplied complete with its cushion. The manufacturer's catalogue name is Bure side support, complete with cushion, and it is sold as one piece, so if the user needs support on both sides you are ordering two.

What it does

A Bure walker holds a person at the forearms and the hands. That is enough for somebody whose problem is strength. It is not enough for somebody whose problem is control: a user recovering from a stroke, or with a trunk that drifts to one side, will lean out of the walker rather than stand in the middle of it, and the caregiver ends up standing in for the missing support with their own body.

The side support puts a padded surface where that lean lands. The user rests against it instead of drifting, and the caregiver's hands go back to the job they should be doing. It is adjustable, so the height and the position are set to the person rather than the person being set to the walker.

Direct Healthcare Group lists it against every Bure walker in the range, so a facility running a mixed fleet can standardise on one code.

Which walker it fits

This is one of the accessories the manufacturer lists across the whole Bure range, the Bure XL included.

All three of the Bure walkers Westin sells take it.

Synthetic leather or polyurethane

Direct Healthcare Group builds the side support in two cushion materials and gives them different codes.

• 56-337 is this listing: the side support with the standard synthetic leather cushion.
• 56-337-PU is the same support with a polyurethane cushion.

The manufacturer's guidance in the instructions for use is to specify polyurethane in environments with a high risk of infection, which is the same advice it gives for the armrest cushions. If this walker lives on an acute ward or in an outbreak-prone setting, tell us and we will quote the PU version instead.

Handicare Bure Side Support, Adjustable specifications

The cushion is one of the parts the manufacturer lists as being in prolonged contact with the user, so it goes into the after-every-use wipe rather than the weekly clean.

Cleaning and care

Direct Healthcare Group gives one cleaning routine for the walker and everything mounted on it. Wipe the parts the user touches after every use with a mild soap solution or a surface disinfectant, and clean the whole walker weekly with a cloth and warm water or a soap solution, or more often if it is in heavy use. Dry it thoroughly afterwards. The product is not corrosion proof.

Where disinfection is needed the manufacturer specifies 70 percent ethanol, 45 percent isopropanol or similar. Do not steam clean, because of the risk of corrosion, and do not use cleaning agents containing phenol or chlorine, which can damage the materials.

Related parts and walkers

The walkers Westin sells in this range are the Bure Rise & Go DB, the power rise walker with electric frame widening, the Bure Double 2.0 and the Bure XL. All three sit with the rest of our transfer equipment on the patient lifts hub.

The rest of the Bure accessory range we list: the short transfer plate and the long transfer plate with castors for patient transits, the lower leg support for the shins, the side support, the oxygen holder and the drip rod. Harnesses are the Rise & Go Belt MULTI and the standard gait training kit.

Other spare parts and hardware sit on the lift parts shelf. Walking aids of every other kind are on the walking aids page.

Delivery in Brampton and the GTA

Westin Healthcare ships this part across Canada and delivers it across Brampton and the Greater Toronto Area. Shipping terms are on the shipping policy, and any charge is confirmed on your order.

If our technicians already service your walker, ask us to bring the part on the next visit and fit it while we are there. Call (905) 451-7743 or book through service and repairs. You are also welcome to pick it up at our Brampton showroom.

Warranty and inspection

Direct Healthcare Group states in the Bure instructions for use that the warranty applies only if repairs or alterations are made by personnel authorized by Direct Healthcare Group, and that repairs and maintenance may only be done by authorized personnel using original spare parts. No year count is printed in the manual, so ask us for the current terms that ship with your serial number and we will handle a claim with you.

The manufacturer also requires the walker to undergo a thorough inspection at least once every twelve months, performed by authorized personnel and in accordance with Direct Healthcare Group's instructions. Accessories are part of that inspection: the manual tells you to verify that any accessory fitted to the walker is properly attached before use, and to test it against the user's needs and functional ability. Westin Healthcare has a service and repairs department and our technicians come to the home or the facility.

Frequently asked questions

What does the side support do?

It gives a user who leans or lists to one side a padded surface to rest against, so they stand in the middle of the walker instead of drifting out of it. It is useful for stroke recovery and for anyone with poor trunk control.

Is one enough, or do I need two?

The manufacturer sells it as one piece. If the user needs support on both sides, order two. If they consistently lean one way, one is usually enough.

Which walkers does it fit?

Every current Bure walker: Bure Standard, Bure S, Bure Low, Bure Low S, Bure Space, Bure Double 2.0, Bure XL, Bure Rise & Go and Bure Rise & Go DB.

What is the difference between 56-337 and 56-337-PU?

The cushion material. 56-337 is synthetic leather and 56-337-PU is polyurethane. The manufacturer recommends polyurethane in environments with a high risk of infection.

Does it come with the cushion?

Yes. The manufacturer's catalogue name for it is the Bure side support, complete with cushion.

Is it adjustable?

Yes, which is the point. Set it to the user's height and position rather than expecting them to find it.

Can I fit it myself?

It mounts on the walker frame. If you would rather not, ask us to bring it on a service visit and our technician will fit it and set it with the user present.

How do I clean it?

Wipe the cushion after every use with a mild soap solution or surface disinfectant. Disinfect with 70 percent ethanol or 45 percent isopropanol. No steam, and nothing containing phenol or chlorine.

Is it a restraint?

No. It is a surface to rest against, not a device that holds anybody in place, and it must not be used as one. If the user cannot stay safely in the walker, they need a reassessment rather than another accessory.