There are a few inarguable truths in life; the sun rises and sets every day, birds sing and dogs bark in all neighbourhoods, and in the life of disabled people – they are aware that they will spend a bigger part of their days ahead in their wheel chairs. However, taking into account the huge struggle of being unable to move around freely, the innovations in the world of today have made it a bit easier for disabled people to move and get things done. Regardless of how long you have been in this condition and for how long you will be, there are some things that you need to pay special attention to when buying a wheel chair and maintaining it once you have it. Here are my picks for today.
Comfortable seating
When you have to be sitting all day long, what you are leaning against and what you are sitting on is of huge importance. The backrest and the seat of your wheel chair are undoubtedly the most important piece of furniture you own. This is so because when you sit, the pressure that you exert on your backrest and seat directly influences both your bones and your muscles and can certainly cause you pain by the end of the day.
Stretch often
No matter who you are and how fit you were before, one thing that will certainly happen when you sit all day is muscle tightness as a result of the lack of movement. Sometimes you might not feel that your muscles are tight, but they probably are. This could throw you off your game and affect your arm strength, which is why it is of utmost importance that you stretch every morning and every night. Make sure to create your own type of daily stretching regimen. If you have someone who looks after you it would be easier to do it, but even if you don’t, do not neglect this. Be it some of your family members or a significant other, ask someone to help you out stretch your legs, back and stomach periodically.
Protect your wheel chair when flying
Most airline luggage handlers are known for their unsavoury luggage handling, and unfortunately, this negligence is also present in the wheelchair world. Having in mind that wheel chairs cost about $5,000 and up, having your wheelchair damaged while flying is a big deal. But regardless of anything, this is bound to happen; most wheelchair-users have claimed that their wheelchair got damaged about every other time they flew. In order to prevent this from happening, it is recommended that you cover it in a black plastic tarp and tape a sign on it that reads, “Fragile – handle with care!”. This is a great way to alert the luggage handlers that they need to be absolutely careful with your belonging, and hopefully they will be.