Handicare Bure Lower Leg Support

The Handicare Bure Lower Leg Support is Direct Healthcare Group's padded shin support for the Bure walker range, manufacturer code 56-352. It sits against the front of the lower legs during a sit-to-stand transfer so the knees have something to push against, and it swings aside when the user starts to walk. Westin Healthcare ships it across Canada and fits it on a service visit across Brampton and the GTA.

Three manufacturer catalogues call this part three different things, which is worth knowing before you go looking for it. Savaria lists it as the lower leg support. Direct Healthcare Group's instructions for use call it the shin support. The accessory matrix in the same manufacturer's catalogue calls it the knee support pad. All three are 56-352.

What it does

Standing up out of a chair is mostly a knee job. The person leans forward, the shins tip over the ankles, and the knees drive. If there is nothing in front of the shins, a weak or frightened user has to generate all of that themselves and their feet tend to slide forward instead.

The shin support gives the lower legs something to work against. Direct Healthcare Group describes the supports as providing relief to the knees during sit-to-stand transfers, and notes that they are height adjustable and can be moved aside to create greater space. On the power rise machines it also completes the geometry: with the appropriate accessories fitted, the user is supported under the feet, at the front of the lower legs and behind the back at the same time.

Then it gets out of the way. The manufacturer's instruction once the user is up is explicit: if a platform is not being used, swing the shin supports away for increased walking room.

Setting it correctly, which matters more than it looks

There is one adjustment error that turns a helpful part into a painful one, and Direct Healthcare Group prints the warning in the standing-up sequence itself: adjust the shin supports to fit the user's shins, and remember to avoid pressure on the patellae and the patellar tendons. In plain terms, the pad belongs on the meat of the shin, below the kneecap and below the tendon that runs off the bottom of it. Set too high, it presses on the kneecap during the stand and the user will refuse to use the machine a second time.

The Bure supports carry two controls. One knob sets the height. The second locks the support in the forward position when it is not in use, which is what holds it out of the way while the person is walking. Set the height once for a regular user and leave it, and use the second knob shift to shift.

Which walker it fits

Direct Healthcare Group lists 56-352 against every Bure walker in the current range apart from the Bure XL.

One thing to know before you order: on the Bure Rise & Go machines the shin supports are part of the standard build, so here 56-352 is a replacement or a spare rather than an addition. On a Bure Standard, Bure S, Bure Low or Bure Space it is an accessory you are adding to the walker. Either way it is the same part.

Handicare Bure Lower Leg Support specifications

The pad is one of the parts the manufacturer lists as being in prolonged contact with the user, so it belongs in the cleaning routine rather than the once-a-year one. Direct Healthcare Group also builds polyurethane pads under separate codes for environments with a high risk of infection; ask us which code suits your setting and we will quote it.

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

Is this the same as a shin support or a knee support pad?

Yes. Savaria calls it the lower leg support, the instructions for use call it the shin support, and the manufacturer's accessory matrix calls it the knee support pad. All three names point at 56-352.

Which walkers does it fit?

The Bure Standard, Bure S, Bure Low, Bure Low S, Bure Space, Bure Double 2.0, Bure Rise & Go and Bure Rise & Go DB. The manufacturer does not list it for the Bure XL.

My Bure Rise & Go already has shin supports. Why is this listed?

Because they wear and they get damaged. On the Rise & Go machines the supports are part of the standard build, so 56-352 is the spare. On the conventional Bure walkers it is an accessory you add.

Is one enough, or do I need two?

The walker carries a support on each side. The manufacturer's accessory list does not state whether 56-352 is supplied singly or as a pair, so call (905) 451-7743 before you order and we will confirm it with Savaria against your order rather than let you guess.

How high should it be set?

Against the shin, clear of the kneecap and the patellar tendon. That is the manufacturer's instruction and it is the difference between a comfortable stand and a painful one.

Can it be moved out of the way?

Yes. A second knob locks the support in the forward position when it is not in use, and the manual tells you to swing the supports away for more walking room whenever a platform is not being used.

How do I clean it?

Wipe it after every use with a mild soap solution or surface disinfectant. For disinfection the manufacturer specifies 70 percent ethanol or 45 percent isopropanol. Never steam clean it and never use anything containing phenol or chlorine.

Is there a version for infection control?

Direct Healthcare Group builds polyurethane pads for high infection risk environments under separate codes. Tell us the setting and we will quote the right one.

Can I fit it myself?

It mounts on brackets 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 the height with the user present.