Tips for using a Wheelchair
- Fingerless gloves help prevent blisters, wheel burn, and calluses.
- Practice wheelies on soft carpet. It is easier to stay balanced than on hard surfaces. Consider wearing pads and a helmet until you get the hang of it.
- Spoke guards are inexpensive, decorative, and can protect your fingers from getting caught in spokes.
- Special push rims are available for people with low grip strength.
- Large, pneumatic-tire front wheels make it easier to go over bumps, but will slow you down. Hard, small front wheels mean you can go fast but have to pay lots of attention to bumps.
- Consider wearing a seat belt.
Tips to use a Walker Safety
- Take small steps
- Keep the walker close to your body
- Wear nonskid slippers, socks, or shoes
- Remove throw rugs and clutter from the floor
- Keep your head up while walking to maximize your balance
- Keep both hands on walker; if you need to carry items attach a basket to the walker
- As you walk, move the walker ahead of you one footstep at a time and make sure walker is firmly balanced before you proceed
How to get up from a Chair While Using a Walker
- Pull the walker in front of you and slide yourself to the front of the chair
- Make sure the walker is level
- Stand up slowly with both hands gripping the walker.
- When you stand up give yourself some time before you walk to make sure that you have good balance.
- Move the walker forward on step and walk towards it.
How to Sit Down in a Chair While Using a Walker
- Use your walker to back up to the chair until your legs touch the back of the chair.
- If your chair has an armrest, use one hand to find the armrest of the chair while leaving one hand on the walker (This step varies based on chair).
- Slowly sit down
- Slide back into chair