Staying in the Game
Rick Flora ’ s wheelchair allows him to continue to play the game he loves .
By Laura Gainor
Pickleball has been known to be therapeutic for many people , and for Rick Flora from Naples , Florida , it was life-changing after an unexpected emergency surgery that left him immobile .
Rick first learned to play pickleball a little over a year ago at East Naples Community Park when he attended a clinic led by Joe Sullivan . Rick was absolutely loving retired life , playing pickleball five or six days a week with his wife . He enjoyed the competition and exercise .
Then , last summer , Rick started to feel small pains in his leg , not thinking anything of it .
A trip to Richmond , Virginia , in August to attend his stepson ’ s wedding found him in the emergency room with progressive pains that led to emergency surgery on his spine .
Unable to travel back home to Florida , he was referred to Sheltering Arms Institute , a rehab hospital in Richmond . He talked with his occupational therapist , Lindsey Holbrook , about his passion for pickleball and soon they were incorporating the sport into his weekly sessions , establishing “ Pickleball Fridays .”
“ Rick played six times a week before his injury , so I told him we need to keep that up ,” says Lindsey . “ One of our main goals is to get him back to doing what he loves to do .”
Lindsey used a system called Bioness Vector , which gave additional bodyweight support so Rick could work on his standing , endurance and coordination while playing the game he loves .
“ The first time he tried it , he could barely reach the ball , but toward the end he could let go of the walker and do some rallies . It was a fun way to measure his progress ,” she adds .
“ I wouldn ’ t be surprised if they incorporated it fulltime into therapy ,” says Rick . “ It ’ s a nice change from