Ex-professional athlete Dmitri Tschatschin trains with the stair climbing aid. "Of course you don't expect a cross-section. This is now a new task in life and what doesn't kill me only makes me tougher."
Watch the video of Dmitri's rehabilitation with the stair climbing aid
For as long as he can remember, 31-year-old former professional ice speedway racer Dmitry Chachin has been on a motorcycle and has turned his passion into a profession. Between 2004 and 2011, he pursued motorsport professionally and was part of the national team.
Dmitri is a three-time German runner-up and bronze medal winner at the 2007 World Championships and lives his passion. He has experienced a lot through motorsport. But on August 26, 2016 - during training - his life changes from the ground up.
The accident happens during an actually harmless jump over a so-called table. Dmitri jumped too far, lost his footing on landing, hurtled over a steep wall and landed on his back. He shatters his knee, breaks his 12th thoracic vertebra and suffers spinal cord compression, a contusion of the spinal cord that leads to an incomplete spinal cord injury in Dmitri.
After the accident, Dmitri spent two weeks in hospital, followed by early rehabilitation and two months of inpatient rehabilitation in a clinic in Passau. There, he was put on his feet for the first time. Despite initial attempts, climbing stairs was out of the question at first.
After initial progress, he begins 14 months of semi-stationary rehabilitation, during which he receives one hour of physiotherapy, massage, equipment training and electrostimulation every day.
Dmitri Chachin Exoskeleton cross-section training
Since April 2018, Dmitri has been an inpatient at the Geerlofs Rehabilitation Center in Pforzheim, where he receives six hours of therapy every day.
"In the seven weeks, we achieved a great deal by training six hours a day. The rehabs before are no comparison."
Dmitri spends 14 weeks at the Geerlofs Rehabilitation Center. There he practises walking on level ground and climbing stairs.
The stair climbing aid is a stair climber with a handle to hold on to so that you can concentrate on climbing stairs safely. Dmitri's first impression:
"I like it, it works great, it's easier to walk up the stairs, it gives you confidence and that's very positive. It's difficult to trust something you don't know yet if you can't really control your legs 100%. It's easier than with a banister. Definitely - you quickly gain confidence in the stair climbing aid."
The big advantage of TOPRO Steps is that you have to do a lot with your legs for therapeutic purposes and that's what's important.
 - Dmitri Chachin (31)
Screenshots from the video show Dmitri's rehabilitation and his stair training
When training on stairs without the stair climbing aid, the full force and effort is on the arms.
"When you're in a wheelchair for a long time, it's a bad habit to do everything with your arms. TOPRO Step's big advantage is that you have to do a lot with your legs for therapeutic purposes and that's what's important."
Dmitri says that his everyday life hasn't changed too much and that he still does what he enjoys. It takes him a little longer to do everything and when he encounters steps, he needs help. His life still consists of motorsport. Once motorsport, always motorsport!
"Sitting in a wheelchair and staring at the wall and crying wasn't the goal from the start," he explains."
Another goal is for him to be able to walk again.
"Not 10 km, not 3 km, even if it's only 100 m. The important thing is that it works and that it works alone. We still need some time, strength, sweat, ambition, patience and motivation."
What are the advantages of the stair climbing aid?
"Safety, of course. You can walk up the stairs on your own without anyone having to watch out. That works. One of the biggest advantages is the head thing - that you have confidence. The fact that you can walk up the stairs as a paraplegic with some function in your legs is the biggest advantage."
To carry out an on-site inspection and receive a quote, make an appointment with us. Once you have accepted the quote, we will carry out the installation, which usually only takes a few hours. .
TOPRO Step is TĂśV-tested and certified and meets all functional and safety requirements.
TOPRO Step is designed so that it can be easily adapted to your staircase. It can be installed on straight stairs, curved stairs and stairs with a landing.
Ask your health insurance company about the possibility of cost coverage or possible subsidies. Please note that these options are country-specific and individual.
TOPRO Step means TOPRO quality. When you buy a TOPRO Step, you receive a guarantee of up to 5 years.
We measure success by satisfied customers, which is our top priority. We already have over 4,000 satisfied users throughout Europe.
Choose your TOPRO Step
Do you have any questions?
Would you like a free and personal consultation? Get in touch with our TOPRO Step experts and book a free, no-obligation appointment directly at your home.
TOPRO Step Expert
+47 902 931 00
Monday - Friday
08:00 - 16:00 o'clock.
TOPRO Step Expert
+47 902 931 00
Monday - Friday
08:00 - 16:00 o'clock.
Do you have any questions or would you like to test the TOPRO Step stair climber?
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