Orthopaedics and mobility equipment in Pego
A wheelchair, a hospital bed, a walking frame, a support after a fall. Nobody plans for any of it: it comes up the day someone is discharged, the week before an operation, or the afternoon a visiting parent arrives and cannot manage the steps. We are at Avinguda d'Alacant, 16, in the centre of Pego — a few minutes from Monte Pego, and no need to drive down to Dénia or Gandia.
Wheelchair, hospital bed and mobility equipment hire
Most of what people need after an operation or a fall is needed for weeks, not for years. Hiring costs less and leaves nothing sitting in a spare room afterwards.
- Wheelchairs. Two kinds, and people almost always ask for the wrong one. A self-propelled chair has large rear wheels and is pushed by the person sitting in it. A transit chair has small wheels, is pushed by someone else, and is lighter and easier to fold into a car boot. For outings with a carer, transit is usually the answer.
- Hospital beds. The back and legs raise, and so does the whole bed. That last part matters most: a bed that rises is what stops the carer bending over a low mattress ten times a day.
- Pressure-relief mattresses, for anyone spending long hours in bed.
- Patient hoists, for transfers between bed and chair once lifting by hand is no longer safe.
- Walking frames and rollators. A frame gives more support indoors; a rollator has four wheels, hand brakes and a seat, so you can get out of the house and sit down halfway.
- Shower chairs, commodes and raised toilet seats. The first two weeks after a hip operation are mostly solved with these.
- Crutches and walking sticks, adjusted here to your height.
Ring us with the dates and what it is for and we will tell you what is available, the price and the deposit before you commit to anything.
If a relative is coming to stay
This is one of the most common calls we get, especially from Monte Pego and the urbanisations. Elderly parents come over for two or three weeks, the villa has steps and a walk-in shower nobody thought about, and a wheelchair is needed for the visit and nothing more.
Tell us the arrival date and roughly what they can and cannot do — walk short distances, manage stairs, get in and out of a chair unaided — and we will put together what makes sense for those weeks. It is far cheaper than buying, and there is nothing to store or ship home afterwards.
Supports, braces and compression stockings
Supports do not work because of what they are, but because of how they fit. Sizing is not clothing sizing: it is a tape measure at specific points, and every manufacturer has its own chart. We measure here, at the counter, and there is no charge for it.
- Back: lumbar and lumbosacral supports, posture supports, cervical collars.
- Arm and hand: wrist and thumb supports, tennis-elbow straps, slings and shoulder immobilisers.
- Leg and foot: knee and ankle supports, walker boots, insoles, bunion and toe protection.
- Compression: compression stockings and socks, and arm sleeves.
- After surgery: post-operative and post-natal supports, and external breast prostheses after a mastectomy, measured privately and without rushing.
Compression stockings, including for flying
This is the item most often bought in the wrong size, and the wrong size means it does not do its job. Three things to know:
- Measure in the morning, before the leg swells. A measurement taken at seven in the evening in August gives a size that is too big.
- Several measurements are needed — ankle, calf, thigh if the stocking is long — plus the length of the leg. Shoe size and trouser size are no use at all.
- Compression comes in classes, and stronger is not better. The class depends on what the stockings are for, and that is a decision for whoever recommended them.
Compression is not right for everyone. Some arterial circulation problems in the legs are a reason not to use it. If you have diabetes, wounds, reduced sensation in the feet or a diagnosed arterial problem, check with your doctor first. If wearing them causes pain, tingling, a cold foot or a change in colour, take them off and get it looked at.
Preventing falls at home
Before buying anything, it is worth walking through the house. Most falls here are not prevented by a device but by moving things out of the way — and villa layouts in this area have their own traps: polished tile floors, a step into the terrace, a raised threshold into the shower room.
- Rugs and trailing cables in the hallway: take them up.
- A light that can be switched on from the bed, for the trip to the bathroom at night.
- Grab rails screwed into the wall. Suction rails are a guide, not something to take a person's weight.
- A non-slip mat in the shower or bath, and a shower seat.
- Closed-in slippers with a sole that grips. Backless slippers cause a lot of falls.
- Measure your doorways before ordering a wheelchair. Many old houses in the village are narrower than you would think.
One more thing that is not orthopaedics but matters just as much: some medicines cause dizziness or a drop in blood pressure on standing. If there have been repeated falls, bring in everything the person takes and we will go through it.
Equipment on prescription in Spain
Some orthopaedic items are part-funded by the Spanish public health system through what is called the prestación ortoprotésica. It works from a fixed catalogue, each item has a maximum funded amount, and there is a patient contribution.
The one rule worth remembering: the prescription must come before the purchase. If you buy the item first and ask about funding afterwards, there is usually nothing that can be done. For most items the prescription has to come from a hospital specialist, not from your GP at the health centre, and you will need your SIP card.
If your cover is private or from another country, it normally works by reimbursement, so keep the itemised invoice and a copy of the prescription. Bring in whatever paperwork you have and we will tell you what it says and what it is worth doing next — the full detail is on the Spanish page about the prestación ortoprotésica.
Where to find us in Pego
Avinguda d'Alacant, 16 — 03780 Pego (Alacant), in the centre of town, with parking for customers and step-free access, with room to come in with a wheelchair or a walking frame. In an orthopaedics shop that is not a detail: it is the difference between getting in and waiting on the pavement.
Open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 8:30pm without closing at lunchtime, and Saturday 9am to 2pm and 4:30 to 8pm. People come from Pego, Monte Pego, l'Atzúbia, la Vall de Gallinera and les Valls.
If the person who needs the equipment cannot travel, ring first: we will tell you what we have, what needs ordering and which measurements to take at home, so nobody makes the trip twice.
Frequently asked questions about orthopaedics in Pego
Can I hire a wheelchair for just a week?
Usually yes, but wheelchairs are the first thing to run out. If you already know the dates, ring ahead rather than turning up on the day.
Do I need a prescription to buy or hire equipment?
Not to buy or hire it privately — you can simply come in. A prescription is needed only if you want the public health system to fund the item, and in that case it has to be issued before you buy.
Do you deliver?
For larger items such as a bed or a hoist you would not normally have to collect it yourself. Tell us where you are — Pego, Monte Pego, l'Atzúbia, la Vall de Gallinera — and we will sort it out.
My relative is being discharged on Friday. Can you help at short notice?
Ring as soon as you know the date rather than on the day itself. Large equipment is better reserved in advance, and a Friday afternoon is the worst moment to start looking.
Is anyone there who speaks English?
Yes. Spanish, Valencian and English at the counter. For measurements and for explaining how equipment works, that matters more than usual.
Tell us the situation
The discharge date, the operation, the fall, the visit. From that we can tell you what is actually needed, what to hire rather than buy, and what paperwork matters.