Hi, my name is Mary Allison and I am a 27
year old wife, professional, Paralympic Athlete, sister, daughter, aunt,
and oh yeah, I happen to use a wheelchair.
Now, I've been a chair user for 23 years, so I've had a lot of time to perfect
the art of using a chair. Now perfect is probably not the right word to use
because my life as a chair user, it's constantly evolving.
Everyday I'm learning new ways to adapt to the world around me through trial
and error and asking other people with disabilities.
I'd like to share with you a few of my tricks
of the trade and with a few personal tweaks,
you too can become an even more independent
and confident chair user and individual.
Now to most in our society the wheelchair represents struggle, incapability, and
sadness. But I've been a chair user for 23 years and live a wonderfully vibrant life.
But I totally understand why the wheelchair gets a bad rep.
Ugly truth is, most Americans use an ill-fitting
and ill-functioning chair. And an ill-fitting and
ill-functioning chair makes things more difficult than they have to be.
A wheelchair should have equal: form and function.
You must be able to get from point A to B; quickly, efficiently, with confidence,
all while looking attractive. That's right, I said attractive.
Your chair directly affects everything in your life from your independence level to body image.
Although no one is confined to a wheelchair,
the chair should look and feel like an extension of your body.
So how do you get a proper wheelchair?
And you thought trying to find an accessible parking spot on a rainy day was hard.
Getting a proper wheelchair is most definitely a challenge, but that's why you have me.
To steer you in the right direction and give you a few tips on how to build the proper chair.
Fit is probably one of most important components of a properly functioning chair.
Remember, you want your chair to look like an extension of your body.
That means you should fit snuggly into your chair. Of course you don't want to fit too tight and cause
skin breakdown, but there should be no large gaps between you and any part of your body
and the chair.
Remember, although accessibility has come a long way, the world is never gonna be 100%
wheelchair friendly. The smaller, lighter, more compact your chair is,
the easier it's going to be to be independent
and get around.
Taper is an important option to consider when building your chair.
Taper is the narrowing of your chair in relationship to your body.
For most people, your hips are going to be
wider than your feet, so it's important that
you find a chair that tapers from the front of your seat down to your footplate.
Not only will this keep your feet in place, but it will also compliment the silhouette
of your body and draw the eye to your body and not necessarily the chair.
Center of gravity is another important component of function.
Center of gravity is basically the placement of the axle to the front or back of your chair.
The further back the axle is placed, the more evenly the weight is distributed between
your back wheels and front casters resulting in a smoother ride.
The more forward your center of gravity is placed the easier it will be for you to
pop wheelies, go over difficult terrain. But on the flipside, you might be more likely
to tip forward.
Center of gravity is all about finding a balance,
literally, between function and safety.
If you are unsure about what your center of gravity should be, many chairs come
with an adjustable center of gravity feature so you can figure out what fits you best.
Wheel size and type is another detail that can
greatly affect the performance and look of your chair.
For most adult-size wheelchairs, they come with 24 or 25 inch back wheel.
The larger the wheel, the faster you can go with fewer pushes.
But because you won't be going at a very rate of speed in your everyday chair
the difference between a 24" and 25" back wheel won't be detrimental to its performance.
More importantly, you want to make sure that
you sit at a comfortable distance from the floor.
You want to make sure that you're able to reach objects above your head,
as well as objects that are on the floor.
A good rule of thumb is when you're sitting in your chair,
place your arms next to your side.
Your fingertips should reach your axles or the center of your wheels.
There are also many types and brands of wheels and tires to choose from.
Carbon fiber spokes create a very lightweight wheel and color options
allow you to add fun and personality to your chair.
But if carbon fiber is out of your budget, aluminum spoked wheels can be a very
good option.
Some wheels come with adjustable hand rims
that collapse to allow you to fit in smaller spaces.
When outfitting your wheel with tires there are many options to choose from.
There are solid tires, which prevent puncture.
There are tires with tubes that are a more lightweight tire.
And there are also different textures with tires that complement different terrains.
If you find yourself going over more rough
and outdoor terrain, a thicker, more knobby
tire might be more beneficial for you to use.
But if you are using your chair inside most of the time, then a smoother,
thinner tire is going to be more lightweight and efficient.
Just like tires there are many caster options to choose from.
There are small, larger, wider, semi-pneumatic, pneumatic.
Hey there are even casters that light up as you roll, and this could fill the void
if you never received a pair of LA Gears sneakers as a kid.
But again it's all about finding a balance between form and function.
When I was in high school and college I used a really small Rollerblade caster.
Because I thought these looked the coolest and I didn't really care about function.
Then when I was on campus I began tripping over rocks, cracks in the pavement,
and face planting in the student union. So I switched to a slightly larger, wider caster.
It turns out staying upright in your chair is way cooler than any type of caster.
Seat back style and height are components of your chair that are very specific
to the chair's user. There are two main types of seat backs.
There are hard backs and soft upholstered backs.
Hard seat backs can be more stable and promote better posture,
but they could also add a lot of weight to your chair.
Soft upholstered backs are lightweight and
can be adjusted by Velcro straps and reinforced with leather.
No matter what type of back that you have it's important that it fits properly.
Just because you have a high level of injury
that does not mean that your seat back height should be at your neck.
It's important that your seat back gives you the right amount of support;
promoting proper posture and muscle development.
Ah accessories.
You can never have too many right?
Wrong.
Today you can order a wheelchair with so many features that makes a Winnebago
look ill-equipped.
Arm rests, cup holders, handle bars, luggage carriers, spoke guards!
It can all be attached. But good luck getting
your Winnebagoed wheelchair into your car.
Remember, with every extra feature comes extra weight.
If there is one must-have accessory, I would suggest rigid side guards.
Rigid side guards are bolted into the frame of your chair and are less likely to break
or fall out than removable side guards. Side guards not only protect your clothes
from getting dirty and slim your waist, but they also allow you to grow several inches.
All you have to do is hop on your side guard and boom, you can reach your favorite
ice cream from the freezer, the dish from your kitchen cabinets,
or that really cute blouse you saw in the store.
Brakes are another important feature to consider when building your chair.
Brakes can help with transfers and if you are sitting on uneven surfaces.
If you do get brakes, I would suggest choosing scissor brakes.
Scissor brakes are mounted underneath your chair so they are less noticeable
With scissor brakes, you don't have to worry about hitting your thumbs like you
might if you have brakes mounted on the front of your chair.
It's important to remember that everything I have shared with you today
has been a suggestion.
Ultimately your wheelchair should be configured
to meet your specific needs, not mine.
Even if your current chair is not perfect, don't fret.
Confidence and independence comes from the individual, not the chair.
But a proper chair can help.
Finding the right chair is a process and one
that takes time and will never be perfect.
Play around with different seating positions.
Ask friends that you know with similar
disabilities what they like and dislike about their chair.
As you become more comfortable in your chair and learn more skills,
you will be able to fine tune your chair's specifications.
My wheelchair is one of my most prized possessions,
and it has definitely become part of my identity.
Some mornings I look in the mirror and think
gah, my wheelchair looks fat.
Or wait, is that me?
Other days, especially after putting on
new tires or a new outfit I think, man I look good.
No matter what the day, I always feel strong,
powerful, and confident. And you should too.
Thanks for watching!
Center of gravity is another important confunc- uhhh! Confunction.
Component of functionnnnn!
BLOOPER REEEEEEL
Like I said earlier, use your chair...
So with a few personal tweaks, you too become a- can become a more
confident and independent idivw- indiv- chair user and individual...
blehhh
and screamed, I'm sorry.
WHEEL SIZE AND TYPE!
To most, the wheel chair... bleeeh, okay.
WOAH!
(Off screen) Oh, no! [laughing]
Are you okay?
(Katie) That's what a chair that fits you does!
Arm rests, cup holders...
[laughs]
-use propers- [laughs]
PROMOTE! Promote prop- proper posture.
Let me start over.
Was that good? Cause there's no way I can repeat.. [laughs]
or the really cute [guttural noise]
Did I sound stupid when I was like 'gah, I look fat'?
I didn't? Okay.
[claps] Boom!
Phew! Kay.