Being able to smoothly transfer from wheelchair to car is important if looking to live an independent life. The entire process should become the “norm”, not something you dread having to do each and every day of your life. Your spinal cord injury level may in fact play an ultimate role in how easy this process is for you, maybe it won’t.
Read more ...Anticipating your first escalator ride in a wheelchair, is kind of like anticipating the first time you had sex. You’re anxiously nervous with fear, then it happens, you finish, and then you say “That was it?!”…..
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The “ADA” expressly excludes escalators as “accessible means of egress”… I say screw that… it’s a fantastic means of “egress”!
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I suggest practicing in the grass for 2 reasons. 1) When you lean back your wheels are less likely to roll around. 2) It will hurt less if/when you bust your ass. Also, I suggest having someone stand behind you until the comfort level increases. Chances are good your wheelchair has anti-tip bars if a) you are green (new) to a wheelchair, or b) you decided to stay inexperienced. Either way, if you have them, leave them on! The tip bars will eventually start touching as you become more comfortable tipping your weight backwards. Once this begins to happen, yes, it’s time to take them off…. FOREVER. Put them in the garbage, I promise they get in the way.
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