SmartDrive

Taking a Closer Look at Wheelchair Accessories

Too often in the world of seating and positioning, accessories are used as “band-aids” for a less than optimal wheelchair seating system. Accessories may not be needed if you take your time in selecting the right model and size wheelchair and then select an appropriate cushion and back support. When used the proper way, they can be the finishing touch to achieve the best posture possible for your patient! Below we go over the different types of wheelchair accessories on the market today.

Upper Extremity Supports
Upper extremity (UE) supports can be added onto the existing arm rest to:

Add length
Add additional postural support
Decrease contracture risk
Decrease dependent edema in UE
Increase comfort while sitting in wheelchair
Stabilize a weak UE in an optimal position

Most of us don’t sit with our elbows bent to 90° with the forearm straight out. So why do we position our patients this way, especially when dealing with abnormal tone or decreased range of motion? Choose an upper extremity support that has angle adjustability!!

Choosing a back support: adjustability

Looking for more information on seating and positioning?Check out our digital, rehab-focused Wheelchair Seating & Positioning Guidehere.

There are three areas to consider when choosing a back support: shape of the shell, medium, and adjustability. We've gone over the shape of the shell and medium, and now we turn our attention to adjustability.

Why is adjustability important in back supports?
Adjustability is important to wheelchair back supports for the following reasons:

The human skeleton has natural curves that allow for optimal function.
If these curves are not supported well, they will either flatten or curve excessively, changing into an abnormal posture.
This is especially important when providing a back support for a child to promote natural curves of the spine as he or she grows.

What are ways that we can adjust a back support?

Choosing a Back Support: Medium

Looking for more information on seating and positioning?Check out our digital, rehab-focused Wheelchair Seating & Positioning Guidehere.

There are three areas to consider when choosing a back support: shape of the shell, medium, and adjustability. Today we are looking at different back support mediums and the benefits and considerations of each.
Understand the available mediums when choosing a back support. No matter the contours, the quality of the mediums will affect the application of the back support. Each has benefits and considerations, and we will look at each one.

Foam
Air
Combination