Fitting a wheelchair to the user
in [Wheelchairs]
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From: Roger Conroy on 21 May 2008 02:59 I have googled till my mouse was sore! but I have been unable to find satisfactory guidance on selecting/setting up/adjusting a manual wheelchair for a paraplegic user with a strong upper body. I'm referring to factors such as lengths, widths, heights, weights, balance and so on. There is masses of information on setting up a whole lot of very sophisticated seating systems on electric wheelchairs and also quite a lot on sports chairs such as for tennis, racing and basketball but nothing really detailed on conventional everyday manual chairs.
From: Moe Jones on 21 May 2008 16:04 Roger Conroy wrote: > I have googled till my mouse was sore! but I have been unable to find > satisfactory guidance on selecting/setting up/adjusting a manual > wheelchair for a paraplegic user with a strong upper body. I'm > referring to factors such as lengths, widths, heights, weights, > balance and so on. There is masses of information on setting up a whole > lot of very > sophisticated seating systems on electric wheelchairs and also quite > a lot on sports chairs such as for tennis, racing and basketball but > nothing really detailed on conventional everyday manual chairs. This may help. When I got my first manual wheelchair it was a 14" wide and worked OK for me but after a year I had gained some more weight and one day at the VA Hospital a nurse walked up to me and started telling me that I was in danger of having a chair not for me and was not safe so the VA gave me a 16" wide chair. It was a nice way of saying "I WAS FAT". So I figured that if you are too tight in wearing the chair you would need a bigger one. -- Moe Jones http://www.MoeJones.info
From: Roger Conroy on 21 May 2008 16:58 "Moe Jones" <moejones(a)hal-pc.org> wrote in message news:48348046$0$9832$a726171b(a)news.hal-pc.org... > Roger Conroy wrote: >> I have googled till my mouse was sore! but I have been unable to find >> satisfactory guidance on selecting/setting up/adjusting a manual >> wheelchair for a paraplegic user with a strong upper body. I'm >> referring to factors such as lengths, widths, heights, weights, >> balance and so on. There is masses of information on setting up a whole >> lot of very >> sophisticated seating systems on electric wheelchairs and also quite >> a lot on sports chairs such as for tennis, racing and basketball but >> nothing really detailed on conventional everyday manual chairs. > > This may help. When I got my first manual wheelchair it was a 14" wide and > worked OK for me but after a year I had gained some more weight and one > day at the VA Hospital a nurse walked up to me and started telling me that > I was in danger of having a chair not for me and was not safe so the VA > gave me a 16" wide chair. > It was a nice way of saying "I WAS FAT". > So I figured that if you are too tight in wearing the chair you would need > a bigger one. > > > -- > Moe Jones > http://www.MoeJones.info > > Thanks Moe, but seat width is only one of a whole long list of items that need to fit correctly for an active user. I'm looking for a "how to" guide or a comprehensive checklist. I for example am very particular about the exact balance point of my chair for running tilted on the back wheels only - "doing wheelies". Get it wrong and "jumping" kerbs becomes difficult or even dangerous. The rear/front wheel weight distribution also plays a big role in maneuverability. Besides the simple dimensions of the seat there is also rear wheel camber angle, front wheel castoring geometry...... I could go on for paragraphs. Hospital nurses generally know just about zip about proper wheelchair fitting.
From: Moe Jones on 22 May 2008 16:43 Roger Conroy wrote: > "Moe Jones" <moejones(a)hal-pc.org> wrote in message > news:48348046$0$9832$a726171b(a)news.hal-pc.org... >> Roger Conroy wrote: >>> I have googled till my mouse was sore! but I have been unable to >>> find satisfactory guidance on selecting/setting up/adjusting a >>> manual wheelchair for a paraplegic user with a strong upper body. >>> I'm referring to factors such as lengths, widths, heights, weights, >>> balance and so on. There is masses of information on setting up a >>> whole lot of very >>> sophisticated seating systems on electric wheelchairs and also quite >>> a lot on sports chairs such as for tennis, racing and basketball but >>> nothing really detailed on conventional everyday manual chairs. >> >> This may help. When I got my first manual wheelchair it was a 14" >> wide and worked OK for me but after a year I had gained some more >> weight and one day at the VA Hospital a nurse walked up to me and >> started telling me that I was in danger of having a chair not for >> me and was not safe so the VA gave me a 16" wide chair. >> It was a nice way of saying "I WAS FAT". >> So I figured that if you are too tight in wearing the chair you >> would need a bigger one. >> >> >> -- >> Moe Jones >> http://www.MoeJones.info >> >> > > Thanks Moe, but seat width is only one of a whole long list of items > that need to fit correctly for an active user. I'm looking for a "how > to" guide or a comprehensive checklist. > > I for example am very particular about the exact balance point of my > chair for running tilted on the back wheels only - "doing wheelies". > Get it wrong and "jumping" kerbs becomes difficult or even dangerous. > The rear/front wheel weight distribution also plays a big role in > maneuverability. Besides the simple dimensions of the seat there is > also rear wheel camber angle, front wheel castoring geometry...... I > could go on for paragraphs. > > Hospital nurses generally know just about zip about proper wheelchair > fitting. Then you might go to a medical supply outfit and see if they can help. You would figure they would be able to direct you to the right places. Another idea is some how contact wheelchair basketball group and see where they get their chairs. Hope this helps. -- Moe Jones http://www.MoeJones.info
From: G on 15 Jun 2008 15:15
Roger Conroy wrote: > I have googled till my mouse was sore! but I have been unable to find > satisfactory guidance on selecting/setting up/adjusting a manual wheelchair > for a paraplegic user with a strong upper body. I'm referring to factors > such as lengths, widths, heights, weights, balance and so on. > There is masses of information on setting up a whole lot of very > sophisticated seating systems on electric wheelchairs and also quite a lot > on sports chairs such as for tennis, racing and basketball but nothing > really detailed on conventional everyday manual chairs. > > talk to your local wheelchair vendor, that's their job so they should be able to help you |