Track helping Headley Court injured soldiers

Injured soldiers learn to use prosthetic limbs during workout sessions and on the new outdoor track

Injured soldiers recovering at the Headley Court military rehabilitation unit are using a new "test track" to learn how to use prosthetic limbs.

The test track at the centre near Leatherhead has been built by staff from Sutton and East Surrey Water.

A team from the water company based in Redhill built the outdoor circuit which includes paths, steps and ramps.

Maj Pete LeFeuvre said the soldiers benefited from the realistic track and the outdoor natural environment.

He said: "Many of the injuries we see are highly complex. Prosthetic rehabilitation at Headley Court involves activities relevant and real to the demands of everyday life.

"Skills such as negotiating obstacles like steps, slopes, cambers, and alteration in terrain are critical to enable successful use of a prosthetic limb.

"The challenge is to introduce these skills in a graded and consistent manner and to be able to measure improvements in someone's motor skills."

The circuit includes a series of paths built from various materials, set at cambers and on slopes, along with steps and ramps leading to a timber deck and platform where soldiers can recover and train.

The course also includes balance tasks and stepping stones.