Manual Wheelchair Webinar FAQs In April and May of this year, the clinical educators from Sunrise Medical came together to deliver a 6-part, live, webinar series globally. The webinar topics included the mat evaluation, seating, head supports, manual wheelchairs, power seating functions and alternative drive controls. I presented the webinar on Manual Wheelchairs: Optimizing Prescription and Set Up earlier this month. The webinar was one hour in length and had hundreds and hundreds of participants from numerous countries. This meant that not all of the questions that were posed during the webinar could be answered during that time. Following the webinar, I responded to the questions via email. It became apparent that there were many frequently asked questions (FAQs). This month’s Clinical Corner will share the FAQs and answers to the manual wheelchair webinar I presented. 2020-05-26 Keep Reading
Cleaning Seating and Mobility Equipment Part Two - Seating Last month, we saw COVID-19 become a global pandemic, which prompted the Clinical Corner article, Cleaning Seating and Mobility Equipment Part One - Wheelchairs. The March article reviewed best practices for cleaning for infection prevention and control, medical devices and levels of disinfection, and considerations for cleaning and disinfecting wheelchairs. This month, Clinical Corner will look at the procedures to employ when cleaning/disinfecting wheelchair cushions, back supports and their covers. 2020-04-29 Keep Reading
Cleaning Seating and Mobility Equipment, Part 1 - Wheelchairs We are in strange times. COVID-19 has become a global pandemic. People are practicing social distancing to “flatten the curve”, or as I like to say, we are practicing physical distancing with social cohesion to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and to ease the strain on overburdened healthcare systems. People are aware of the need for frequent hand-washing and the need for frequent cleaning of high contact surfaces. As health care professionals, we have always been aware of the need to practice infection prevention and control in our practice settings. Now is a good time to review best practices for cleaning and disinfecting seating and mobility equipment. 2020-03-30 Keep Reading
Rigid Frame Wheelchairs – Frame Angle and Inset Last month, Clinical Corner addressed frame length in rigid frame wheelchairs. The difference between standard and classic frame lengths and the resulting effects on wheelbase, turning radius and maneuverability were reviewed. If you missed that article, click here to read it. This month, Clinical Corner will address frame angle and front inset on rigid frame wheelchairs and some of the key considerations associated with them. 2020-02-25 Keep Reading
Rigid Frame Wheelchairs – Frame Length Clinical Corner addressed rigid frame wheelchairs in the article, Understanding Choices in Rigid Wheelchairs, in March 2019. The article described what a rigid wheelchair is, how some models may permit folding (e.g., with fold-down back posts), and why a rigid wheelchair tends to offer greater efficiency of propulsion over a wheelchair with a folding cross-brace. The article also outlined various choices in rigid frame wheelchairs, including open frame and closed frame designs, “active” models and adjustable models, and why so many choices are available on the market, even within a single manufacturer. If you missed that article, click here to read it. This month, Clinical Corner will continue to look at rigid frame wheelchairs, with a focus on frame length and why it is important to understand choices offered. 2020-01-30 Keep Reading
