What are the Essential Wheelchair Skills Individuals with Disabilities Must Know?
There are many reasons why someone might need to use a mobility aid, and becoming a new wheelchair user can be overwhelming sometimes; improving your wheelchair skills doesn’t have to be. Learning the basic wheelchair skills and mastering them can help you greatly to become more independent and regain confidence in yourself. Basic Wheelchair Maneuvering Let’s start with the basic wheelchair maneuvering movements. Once you are confident with these movements, you will be ready to start with some skills requiring more practice. Forward and Backward Movement : Start by learning how to propel the wheelchair forward and backward using your wheelchair’s handrims . Practice finding a comfortable grip and rhythm. Turning : Learn different turning techniques, such as the tight turn (for narrow spaces) and wide turn (for more space). Turning while maintaining stability is essential to keeping your safety and equilibrium. Stopping : Practice stopping ...