Lynna Blessing, of Wellington, lifts her capri pants to show the NESS L300 from Bioness that allows her to live a normal, confident life.

In mid-February, Wellington resident Lynna Blessing tried an advanced functional electrical stimulation system introduced to her left knee and foot by physical therapist Kristin Polyak, the lead therapist at Pinecrest Rehabilitation Hospital in Delray Beach. Blessing, the mother of two 13-year-old twin daughters, went to bed in January of 2007 to awake with her left leg paralyzed. She soon developed a walking pattern where she would continuously drag her left foot, which wouldn’t lift the proper height off the ground to take a step so many others take for granted walking every day. On Feb. 20, Blessing was fitted with the Bioness Ness L300 Foot Drop System that sends low-level electrical impulses to the common peroneal nerve in the leg, stimulating muscles to lift the foot.
“The first day I walked with it on for 15 minutes. I began making gradual accomplishments. When I walk my foot drags. When I have it on now… I can walk like everyone else,” Blessing said.
She’s now renting the device and wears it eight hours a day plus a mandatory exercise mode of 15 minutes.
“My daughters are 13; they want to go to the mall. Now I’m confident enough in my walking ability with the device on that I can take them to the mall,” Blessing said.

Cost of the NESS L300 is $500 per month for rental or $6,200 new. Reeber is on-site at Pinecrest Rehabilitation Hospital with a list of seven possible funding sources if a patient’s insurance doesn’t cover the device.

Pinecrest Rehabilitation Services is located on the grounds of the Delray Medical Center at 5360 Linton Blvd. in Delray Beach. For information, call 561-495-3636. For more information on the NESS L300 visit www.bioness.com or call Keith Reeber at 661-714-3917

Blessing shows off the Bioness NESS L300, and the way it straps around her left knee similar to a knee brace.

The Bioness NESS L300 is easliy controlled from a device shown here that goes around the patient's neck.

A monitor is also placed on the patient's shoe.

Kristin Polyak, (left) is the lead therapist at Pinecrest. She has worked with Blessing (right) since Feb. 20 with the NESS L300 medical device.

Keith Reeber, a physical therapist, and clinical specialist for Bioness takes questions as he holds the NESS L300.

Lu Fendig, drove from Brunswick, Ga., to try out the device. Lead therapist Kristin Polyak helps support Fendig.

Physical therapist Reeber demonstrates walking with the NESS L300.