Junior Member
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 45
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 45
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It's amazing the OT and PT see when fitting you for a new wheelchair!!!
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The other week the OT and PT people were talking about a new wheelchair for me. It's totally amazing what they see when fitting someone for a chair. They brought one in for me to try and "wah la", it was perfect!!
I propel my chair by walking it with my feet so the height has to be just right. They then looked at my transfers to see how I did with the chair and the arm rests has to be a certain type. I can't transfer myself if the arm rests are full size, they have to be the desk type. The full size arm rests tend to be higher whereas the desk type are lower.
Then they looked at the back. To our amazement I do better with a hard back VS. a soft back, I asked them why that was. They said I sit straighter and those of us who propel with our feet tend to hyper extend our backs while making ourselves go and with a hard back we don't do that, so that's a big "plus"!!!
Finally they looked at my cushion that I was sitting on. It wasn't anything fancy, just a piece of foam rubber so that won't be a problem.
All in all I zip around here more faster and easier!! I think back when I was a child 40 some years ago, and back then they just slapped you in a chair and that was it. No fitting, no sizing, nothing!!! This whole fitting thing is truly amazing, I love it!!!
Robin
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