LEVI LEIPHEIMER TESTS BAUERFEIND’S HEALTHCARE SERVICE
Compression stockings on Deutschland Tour, 08/07/2006
Levi Leipheimer, the 32 year old American that wears a Team Gerolsteiner jersey, is really steamrolling again in the Deutschland Tour. With a win in the 5th stage from Bad Tölz to Seefeld in Tyrol he moved up in the overall standings. Whether it results in a Tour win like last year remains to be seen. But the American is optimally prepared: with intensive training and compression stockings from Bauerfeind.
The former teammate of Lance Armstrong has worn compression stockings for quite a while – after competition as recuperation for the leg musculature, on airplane trips between residences in Spain and the U.S. as well as to competition sites all over the world. Leipheimer initially didn’t have his compression stockings for the Deutschland Tour. But he didn’t want to forgo the purifying, circulation-promoting and thereby performance enhancing effect of the stockings. So the consulting team physician for Gerolsteiner, Dr. Achim Spechter, contacted a colleague at the Hellersen sports clinic which led to contact with the Bauerfeind healthcare team.
Shortly before the race to Prolog, Levi Leipheimer’s legs were measured by hand. Right before the start of the 3rd stage he received his custom thigh stockings – one pair with a closed toe and one with an open toe – at the tour hotel in Göttingen. Alexander Biebermann, Certified Orthopedic Technician and owner of the W. Nüsse medical supply store in Göttingen, professionally fitted the stockings. He brought along the mobile version of the Bauerfeind Image 3D digital measuring system. He explained to the cyclist that the measuring system is much more accurate than a tape measure and would provide the cyclist, as well as patients of the medical supply store, a perfectly fitting stocking. The Göttingen medical supply store Nüsse has used Image 3D since April 2005 with great success. They see about 3 digital measuring cases a day and the number is increasing. Biebermann has also had good experiences with the mobile version. This is most commonly requested by clinics.
Biebermann believes that modern medical supply stores should offer not only advice on the comprehensiveness of the digital, fully contact-free Image 3D measuring system, but also quickly provide on the spot measuring as needed. Levi Leipheimer was impressed with what the store and the manufacturer were able to make in such a short period of time. His comment: “Very comfortable!”
