She tried wheelchair basketball during her rehab, and now it’s her job. Hillevi Hansson plays professional wheelchair basketball in Sardinia, and when she’s free, she enjoys long walks. Thanks to Schine Walk, she can both swim and enjoy strolls on the Italian beaches. – “I can’t move an inch with a wheelchair there, but with Schine Walk, I can go as far as I want.”
Hillevi Hansson lives in Sardinia and playing wheelchair basketball is part of her job. She has one leg amputated and often uses a wheelchair, but whenever possible, she prefers using crutches that give her more freedom. After testing Schine Walk for six months, she loves them.
– “I’ve walked a lot on sand, down on the beach. I can’t move an inch with a wheelchair there, but with Schine Walk, I can go as far as I want. For example, I use them when I want to walk down to the water and swim,” she explains.
Hillevi Hansson is an active person who exercises a lot and enjoys moving even in her free time. She often goes for walks, hikes, or enjoys the Italian beaches.
– “I like going for long walks, sometimes up to ten kilometers. There’s a big difference between Schine Walk and other crutches I’ve tried; mainly, they last much longer. It’s wonderful to have the freedom to choose whether I want to use the wheelchair or the crutches, no matter where I want to go,” she says.
The shock absorbing part of Schine Walk is made from carefully selected high-friction material that provides a good grip and stability, even on slippery surfaces.
– “Where I live, there are many stone slabs. It’s usually a very slippery place that I rather avoid. But these work great. During a visit to Stockholm, I also tried the winter version, which is like a studded tire. I was surprised at how well it actually works. I’m usually very cautious and often take the wheelchair if I have to walk outside in the winter because I’m a bit afraid of falling. But this gives me the opportunity to walk even in the winter,” she says.
Hillevi has been an amputee for 12 years. During her rehab after the amputation, she tried wheelchair basketball, a sport she quickly took a liking to.
– “I used to work with horses before but thought I could try it once a week because I found wheelchair basketball fun. Then I got completely hooked. Now it’s part of my job,” she says happily.
Today, Hillevi plays wheelchair basketball at a professional level, currently for the Sassari club in Sardinia, Italy. She also works part-time as a child and youth coordinator for a nonprofit organization.
– “It’s fantastic to have a flexible job that I can do remotely since I train half the day. Now I play in Italy, but I’ve previously played and lived in Germany, so there’s quite a bit of traveling involved,” she explains.
When Hillevi tested Schine Walk, she primarily used the Schine Walk Firm model with the firm shock absorber as well as the Schine Walk Winter model. The winter model is studded for extra grip on snow and ice. She believes it’s well worth investing in good assistive devices.
– “For a few years now, I’ve been buying my own crutches; I want them to be durable and of good quality. The shock absorbtion in Schine Walk is much better for my shoulders and wrists when I walk long distances, and as mentioned, they last much longer than others I’ve tried. It’s great to have found such a good idea in Sweden. I’m going to bring a pair to Italy now and let a teammate try them too,” she says.
