Wheelchair Selection

1. Choosing the right wheelchair can reduce the incidence of complications and prevent scoliosis. For patients with neck 5 or above, because the hands can not move, they need to choose a high-leaning wheelchair with chest straps. The wheelchair will be driven by family members, and the patient cannot control the wheelchair by himself. Therefore, wheelchair brake brake must be reliable and strong, in order to prevent the danger of nobody sliding beside, sliding slope and so on. In addition, the armrest should be broad, soft and able to fix both hands, equipped with pressure sore pads, foot pedals should be long enough to prevent foot bruising. Patients with cervical 6-thoracic 1 spinal cord injury should be equipped with wheelchairs of good quality and lighter weight when conditions permit. When the hands are drooping, they should be in a vertical line with the axle center of the big wheel, so that there is friction when driving, and they should be equipped with a half-finger glove of the palm to prevent the grinding of the hands and easy to drive the wheelchair. The front wheels must be flexible, and the pedals should be long enough. In addition, foot pedals should be able to be separated from each other to facilitate the use of sliding boards to move to the bedside. If the patient is weak, old or overweight, it is difficult to drive the wheelchair with both hands. It can also be equipped with an electric wheelchair (manual type). If the patient is charged once a day, he can drive more than ten kilometers, and the range of motion can be significantly increased. Of course, the price is higher. For patients with spinal cord injury or incomplete spinal cord injury, if they can stand and move with lower limb braces and crutches, more training should be strengthened to prevent osteoporosis of lower limbs and improve their physical condition, so less wheelchair is the best choice. However, wheelchairs are still needed for further activities. Otherwise, physical energy consumption is too large to last.

2. Reference Dimension Seat Width: Hip Width, 2.5-5 cm on each side. Seat Length: After sitting back, the back of the knee is 5-7.5 cm away from the front of the seat. Backrest height: The upper edge of the backrest is about 10 cm flat with the axilla. If the back is too low, the shoulder blades are above the back of the chair. The body leans backward and falls back easily. If the back is too high, it will restrict the movement of upper limbs and force the head forward to form a bad posture. The footboard is too high and the pressure is concentrated on the buttocks. The foot plate is too low to be laid flat on the foot plate, resulting in foot drop. Footplate height: 5 cm from the ground. If the footboard can be adjusted up and down, it can be adjusted to the height of the cushion after the wounded person has sat down, so that the 4cm of the distal thigh can be lifted slightly without touching the cushion. The handrails are too low, causing scoliosis. The handrails are too high, causing shoulder shrugs and restricting shoulder movements. Armrest height: elbow joint flexion 90 degrees, the height of the armrest, seat to elbow distance, plus 2.5 cm. For the immature children, it is particularly important to choose the appropriate wheelchair, inappropriate wheelchair will affect the normal development of children's body posture in the future.

3. The improper selection of seats can cause hunch. Too wide a seat can also cause scoliosis. The seat is too shallow, the hip pressure is too high, and the foot position is inappropriate. Seats are too narrow to breathe. It's not easy to change your position in a wheelchair. It's not easy to sit in or stand up. You can't wear thick clothes in winter.

4. Notice that choosing wheelchairs is like buying clothes. With the increase of children's height and weight, after a period of time, wheelchairs of suitable type should be replaced. Wheelchair size should also fit. Proper size can make all parts of the force uniform, not only comfortable, but also prevent adverse consequences. I want to know the key points of wheelchair purchase before I buy a good wheelchair.