-
Wheelchair Seat Cushion and back rest
My wife is using Quantam Q6 Edge 3 Stretto 3MP-SS wheelchair since last 6 months. Her body is not stable and many times she feels uncomfortable and calls for adjustment of her body. We are using good quality air seat cushion and she tends to slip and due to which she cannot keep her posture. We replaced the air cushion with foam but no significant improvement. The situation causes her severe pain and sometimes unbearable. The back rest is also an issue.
We are using a cotton sheet on the seat and pull her backwards every time she moves. This effort is not helping her.
We are looking for a solution since couple of months. Any suggestions please…
-
7 Replies
-
Hi Vijaya,
If I understand your wife’s issue, she tends to slide/slump out of the chair, which is uncomfortable. Is the air cushion you have one that has air chambers across the complete seat? I had an opportunity to sit on a cushion like that and slid toward the edge. That slouching position is not comfortable.
I have a Permobil F5 wheelchair with a ROHO Hybrid Elite cushion. The front 1/3 of the cushion is rigid foam shaped to your thighs underneath, with firm but softer foam over it. The back 2/3’s of the seat, where your pelvic bones are, are air chambers.
Your sit bones settle into the air chambers, but the rigid foam in front prevents you from sliding forward and slouching. You can get a single chamber cushion or a dual one. (Right and left). I have a dual air chamber model as my core muscles are gone on my right side, and I lean toward the right. I inflate the right side more and the left less to sit more erect.
Permobil owns ROHO, but the cushions can be purchased separately in many sizes. I have included a picture of it from Permobil’s website below.
I have good muscle strength in my legs and arms at this time. To reseat myself fully back in my chair, I tilt myself back so I lay on the backrest, then I push with my feet on the footpads and with my arms on the armrests to complete the move. I believe your Quantum tilts back all the way. It sounds like your wife no longer has that much strength, but you could tilt her back like that, grab her under the arms, and pull her back up. That way, it uses gravity, and it is easier on you.
Hopefully, these suggestions will help.
Len
-
Thanks Len, I appreciate your suggestions, let me get one cushion that is suggested, hope we get some relief. We are struggling today and even little relief is a big win.
My wife lost her strengths in the legs and cannot push herself with foot support. We use a cotton sheet to pull her back every 1-2 hours.
Regards
-
-
My husband struggles with comfort in a similar power chair. His robo cushion is on a towel which acts as a sling so we can pull him to the back of the chair. The chair’s seat belt helps some. But for comfort we are always stuffing pillows here and there. It’s a neverending job.
-
You are right, it is never ending activity. We have tried using cotton sheet over the seat rather than under the ROHO seat. Let me try if this improves.
Regards and thanks for your suggestion.
-
-
I have a Quantum chair on loan from our ALS society. Last week I went to a “seating” clinic where they replaced the back rest with one that supports me so I’m not slumping over. I’m starting to show signs of scoliosis:(. Here are two photos to show how it works. It’s really helping.
-
Thanks for your response.
I appreciate your efforts in explaining with photos and this has given more clarity on the approach. Definitely side supports will help. We have taken an appointment with seat clinic and hope they will suggest.
Thanks and regards
-
This is a wonderful pillow! I really like the side supports.
-
Log in to reply.