3-Wheel and 4-Wheel Scooters
You're fighting arthritis or an old farm injury as you figure out a way to work the farm you've owned for twenty years. You hunt and fish, herd cattle, and you wouldn't dream of doing anything else. No one's putting you out to pasture.
You can climb back in the saddle, so to speak¡ªthe mobility four-wheel-drive scooter saddle. Four-wheel scooters are heavy-duty, stable for outdoors and can turn wider around pastures and fields. Plus you can go up to 10 mph. You only need the scooter for farming chores anyway, and the handy basket carries everything but the sun, wind and rain, that's great mobility scooters advice.
If your idea of farming is rounding up the dust bunnies under your bed, you probably need three-wheel-drive electric mobility scooters such as the Pacesaver brands. You can use three-wheel-drive mobility aids both indoors and out without being tempted to re-enact an episode of "Green Acres" or "The Simple Life."
Whether you grow your own tomatoes for spaghetti sauce or order Italian, you can pick a scooter that will last till the cows come home.
Standing Wheel Chair Frames for Children
Now you can say to your children, "Stand up straight," even when they're in child wheelchairs. If your child still has use of both legs and isn't an amputee but requires a wheelchair, standing frame pediatric wheelchairs give her a boost. If she needs an alternative to her walker or crutches, standing frame child wheel chairs are easier to operate and have room to place her bookbag, cell phone, sports equipment, science projects, or CD player.
Standing frame child wheel chairs lessen conditions like progressive scoliosis, muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy (wheelchair-bound kids have a high risk of hip dislocation), and build skeletomuscular strength, improving range of motion. Children with arthritis can do physical therapy during their normal daily activities, and feel confident. This is especially true for children who are recovering from temporary illness or injury.
Changing positions from standing to sitting in conventional wheelchairs can put unneccessary pressure on muscles and joints. Inappropriate positions can cause tremendous pain.
The upshot? Your child can be more confident. Kids hate being shorter than their peers, but with a standing frame chair, your son can look that starting forward on the school basketball team in the eye. No need to worry about being left out of class trips, dances and carnivals! Your child can win that ring toss with the improved muscle tone and coordination from all that exercise. You may worry about muscle spasms with many diseases, but standing frame pediatric wheelchairs can decrease these so that your child can hit the bullseye with a steady hand.
One of the best benefits of a standing frame wheelchair? You can hug your child and get hugged back. That's definitely a reason for your kids to stand tall and proud.
Tracking Down Invacare Belts
You're not ready to give up your old Invacare power wheelchair, no matter what your doctor says. You just had the tires and cushions completely redone. You've added every wheel chair replacement part and upgarde you can think of. You are ready, however, to give up on finding a belt for your Invacare wheelchair or your E & J wheelchair. You feel out of luck because you happen to love any of the following models:
? Invacare Rolls 12" Standard
? Invacare Action Arrow (before Arrows went beltless)
? Invacare Recliner
? Invacare Rolls 10" Standard
Fortunately, all is not lost. If you surf the Net to find specialty shops, you can find that elusive electric wheelchair part for wheel chair repair. Buying wheelchair parts that you want isn¡¯t impossible with the Internet. Edmond-Wheelchair.com offers drive belts for older Invacare and E & J power wheel chair models.
After all, you and your wheelchair are old friends. But you might want to listen to your doctor when she tells you to lose weight and get more exercise.
Rent-a-Portable-Ramp
You broke your leg in a skiing accident, or you took a nosedive off the pier. Either way, you're in a wheelchair for six months, or longer. You rented the chair, and now you're having difficulty with normal activities. The curb outside work seems too steep, or those college library steps are difficult to navigate. Or your mother-in-law is coming to stay and she doesn't complain about accessibility¡ªso you feel guilty and want to work harder to make her comfortable. Perhaps you're temping and your workplace wasn't designed for people with wheelchairs. You hate to be late because you can't get through the door.
Whatever your reason for needing a ramp, here¡¯s good news: You can rent portable wheel chair ramps. Companies such as American Access offer temporary portable wheelchair ramps.
A few tips before you rent:
? Make sure the company can rent to you indefinitely or for the length of time you need.
? Determine whether you need a telescoping van ramp for your mother-in-law or just a wedge that can help you get through the door.
? If you can, test the temporary portable wheelchair ramp with your wheelchair or take your mother-in-law--make it a shopping and lunch outing!
So now you're on the mend, or your mother-in-law is happy. The drawback: Your mother-in-law announces she's staying another month, and she's already complaining about the way you overcook vegetables. Not to worry¡ªrental companies, like portable wheel chair ramps, are flexible.
Wheel Chair Mountaineering?
When you developed fibromyalgia or were injured in that motocross spill or car crash, you thought you should say goodbye to summiting K2. Not so. You might want to stay away from extreme cold, but you can still rappel with the best of them.
Wheelchair-bound adventure athlete/filmmaker/motivational speaker Mark Wellman has climbed El Capitan and Half Dome. He designed adaptive climbing gear, which you¡¯ll need along with good sports wheelchairs. This isn't a huge step from wheel chair racing and wheel chair basketball. Okay...the huge vertical drop may be a step you can't surmount with a portable wheelchair ramp. But observe the regular rules of mountain climbing (and don't offend the Sherpas), and you can follow Mark Wellman's example.
Some thoughts on climbing every mountain in a wheelchair:
? Buy adaptive pull-up bars to aid in your rappelling.
? Avoid chafing and abrasions with leg chaps.
? As before, chest harnesses and even leg harnesses will increase safety.
? Use fold-up lightweight sports wheel chairs for base camps and that glorious moment at the summit.
? Visit your doctor before your attempt, and bring a medic or nurse to base camp if possible.
? Never summit alone. This is good advice for all mountain climbers.
Above all, remember that the best equipment you can have is perseverance, cheerfulness and determination.