Wheelchair Seat Width (wheelchair seat image measurement #3)
Unlike certain parts of the human anatomy, bigger isn't better when it
comes to the seat width of your wheelchair. The seat of your wheelchair
should be as narrow as possible without your hips touching either of the
sides of the wheelchair. To measure the width of your hips, place a
book next to each hip and then measure the distance across, in between
the two books. A wheelchair seat that is too wide encourages poor
posture, causing you to lean to one side, and also allows your hips to
shift while seated in your wheelchair. The seat width of wheelchairs
also affect the performance of the wheelchair, as the seat width of many
wheelchairs determines the overall width. A wheelchair that is a
fraction of an inch too wide can, create inaccessibility to vital places
like the bathroom. still, for proper posture, choose the correct seat
width. You may like an extra inch or two to tuck in your winter parka,
but remember that to maintain proper posture and wheelchair performance,
it is important to choose the correct seat width. Extra seat width on
your wheelchair isn't in your body or wheelchairs best interest.
Wheelchair Seat Depth (wheelchair seat image measurement #1)
It's quite tricky to find the correct seat depth for a wheelchair. If
the wheelchair seat is too deep, it encourages your hips to pull forward
in the wheelchair seat causing you to slouch, rotating your pelvis and
rounding your spine. On the other hand, too shallow of a wheelchair seat
causes the underside of your upper legs to extend beyond the edge of
the wheelchair seat, placing more pressure on your bones associated with
sitting (ischial bones). A wheelchair seat with insufficient depth also
fails to provide enough support, with the user experiencing less
stability, muscle and tendon fatigue, and less control of their
wheelchair. Similar to seat width, the seat depth will also affect a
wheelchairs performance. On a manual wheelchair, added seat depth will
make the wheelchair less agile, placing more weight ahead of the drive
wheels. While seat depth of a wheelchair is usually a fixed element at
the time of construction, it can be adjusted by various types of
wheelchair backrests. A sling backrest may have adjustable tension,
which allows you to sit farther back in the wheelchair, or a solid
backrest will seat you further forward. Therapists all have their
scientific formulas and high-tech miniature tape measures, but the best
way to determine what seat depth is right for you is by paying attention
over the long haul to what is most comfortable and feels best for you.
Wheelchair Backrests (wheelchair seat image measurement #2)
Back in the hippie days of free pot, the only wheelchair backrest choice
we had was sling upholstery, which didn't provide lumbar support or
postural stability. Fortunately in this day and age of technology, a
molded, rigid backrest with lumbar support comes almost standard on any
wheelchair. Formed wheelchair backrests discourage the advancement of
kyphosis, reduce back pain, and provide a more comfortable and
functional seating posture. Wheelchair backrests give you the ability to
adjust seating angle and depth, while increased height improves your
visual field, fostering effective environmental control. Wheelchair
backrests range from low profile, light weight sportschair models to
high profile power wheelchair models that provide extensive lateral side
support.
Wheelchair Cushions
The right wheelchair cushion can provide comfort, positioning, and
prevent pressure sores, but need not meet that criteria for every user.
An ambulatory patient who only uses a wheelchair to go shopping doesn't
have the same needs as a high level quad who spends eighteen hours per
day in a power wheelchair, so it's important to fully understand your
needs and requirements so you can select the appropriate wheelchair
cushion. Wheelchair cushions come in a variety of sizes and styles from
different foams, gels and gel/foam combination wheelchair cushions to
air cushions such as ROHO wheelchair cushions.
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