Wheelchairs and sport

Not too long ago the expression “disabled” started to become politically incorrect - for one thing many people who were pigeon holed under this title were not fond of it, and for another many felt that they were more than capable of doing anything that a “so called able bodied” person could do.

Superficially the last statement sounds somewhat optimistic, however, taking sport as an example, with adaptations, some simple changes in rules, and Hi-Tec equipment, someone in a wheelchair can play pretty much any and all sports.

Developments in wheelchair design

Some 30 to 35 years ago wheelchairs were generally all the same, the only real difference was that some were motorized and powered by battery, however times, and wheelchairs, have moved on.

In the 21st century you can buy not just a range of different sports wheelchairs, but wheelchairs designed for specific sports like badminton, tennis or track racing. Wheelchairs like this have strong lightweight designs with unbelievable dexterity, manoeuvrability and handling. In short, they have a range of features that make them perfect for playing all kinds of different sports.

There are many different wheelchair sports and they range for static sports like archery and shooting to high speed impact sports like basketball. You can even get wheelchairs for participation in dancing!

An example – basketball

The wheelchairs that are used for basketball are light, strong and protective with leg and lower body guards that wrap around the front section of the wheelchair. Their large rear wheels slant outwards (from top to bottom) and this gives them better stability and balance. They will usually have one (or a par of) additional castor wheels at the rear of the chair to prevent it from tipping during impacts and direction changes.

Interestingly, wheelchair basketball has become a popular sport in its own right and it is now played by able bodied teams who use wheelchairs only when participating in the sport.

Basketball is of course just one of the many sports that now have specially adapted wheelchairs designed for them and you can easily find out more about the different chair types and the sports that they allow someone to play at. This page has (now removed) links to sections covering track racing, static sports and even extreme wheelchair sports. It will also tell you abut standard and motorised wheelchairs and provide some information about obtaining a wheelchair through the British National Health Service.

Bathroom aids and utilities

Some of the more interesting, ergonomic and cleverly designed people-use products are those produced for mobility disabled people.

These may be individuals whose age, state of health, or injury due to an accident have either incapacitated them, or reduced their independence. Products designed for these people are aimed trying to ensure that everyday activities, challenges and pleasures can be enjoyed without the assistance of a carer, or a third party.

Some of the most innovative products of this type can be found in bathrooms as the bathroom is an essential part of everyday life. It is also a challenging and potentially dangerous room, and one which can benefit greatly from some of the many aids that are currently available.

Examples of special bathroom facilities include toilet lifters, or toilets that rise, descend, and even have a shower cleaning and warm air drying function.

Shower seating, which can be foldable, dismountable or mobile, can remove the need to stand up whilst in the shower and grab rails, located in strategic positions, can make this cubicle a safer place.

Steps, seats and plinths can be added to a bathroom to make sitting and standing less of an effort, or to reduce the height that needs to be ascended when, e.g. getting into a bath.

When it comes to bathing, walk in baths with their own water tight doors and fast filling and emptying tubs can make getting into and out of a bath easier. You can even get lift chairs or hoists that can lift someone in and out of a bath with ease.

There is a massive array of bathroom gadgets available and you can get a better idea of what some of them are by doing some online searches. Even for those with a limited budget, rails, bars, cushions and soft non-slip floor covers can make the bathroom an easier place for the less able person to negotiate.

Other possible aids include moveable toilets (commodes), transfer lifts and wash basins with ergonomic taps that can be operated without the need to grip or twist them.

Some further feedback on a gel bed

I have added a further feedback review of the “Kaymed gel nest ultra 1800” bed and mattress that we bought almost one year ago. You can see my latest observations and feedback on this sub-blog - http://gel-beds.blogspot.com/2010/03/kaymed-gel-nest-ultra-1800-latest.html.

Unfortunately (for me) my general conclusion is that this is perhaps not the best buy that I have made, however my experiences of sleeping (or not as the case may be) on this mattress are subjective. Regrettably I think that a medium to firm contouring mattress like the Kaymed gel version is not suited to either my body or my sleeping habit! Why I do not know, but it has been an expensive lesson to learn.

Orthotics

Here is a summary of what orthotics are about taken primarily from wikipedia.

Orthotics is is concerned with the design, development, fitting and manufacture of orthoses. These are fittings that support or correct musculoskeletal deformities and/or abnormalities of the human body.

The word orthotic is frequently used as an adjective (e.g. an orthotic insole) or equally as a noun (the orthotic) to describe or name a foot-supporting device or insole. It can also be used to describe a more complex device used to control joint motion.

The term “orthotic” is derived from the word "ortho", meaning to straighten. Sciences such as materials engineering, gait analysis, anatomy and physiology, and psychology contribute to the work done by orthotists, professionals engaged in the field of orthotics.

Those who benefit from a complex orthosis may have an orthopedic condition such as scoliosis or an injury like a fracture - or they may have sustained a physical impairment, or have a congenital abnormality such as spina bifida or cerebral palsy.

Differing orthoses may directly support the lower limb, upper extremity, or the spine. Orthotics proper involves devices made by technicians and fitted to the patient usually by a specialist in foot health such as pedorthist, orthotist, podiatrist, or chiropodist.

An orthotist, for example, is a professional who works by prescription from a physician to ensure the proper application of an orthosis to an individual who might benefit from the orthosis; this is essentially the practice of orthotics.

Care in the proper fit of any device that applies force to the body must be taken to ensure good results and to prevent unwanted problems from an orthosis that is too tight or otherwise uncomfortable.

Some nations require professionals engaged in orthotics (or those manufacturing and fitting orthoses) to be licensed or acredited.

There are of course simple orthotic inserts (in the form of insoles) that can be bought over the counter or online.

Buy an orthopedic product

With Christmas out of the way and the excesses of the season leaving many overweight, now is an ideal time to buy some kind of supportive product, be it a contouring bed or a pair of good orthopedic shoes to walk that extra weight off.

Now is also a good time to buy because the sales are on and it is possible to get some great deals on healthy lifestyle products like supportive mattresses, beds, chairs and shoes. These products always experience a lull over the Christmas period, so retailers are always keen to sell at this time and have lots of offers.
Another reason to think orthopedic

Putting on extra weight and getting older are two realities of life. One you can do something about directly, but the other is an inevitability of living. Even so, you can look after your body by making an effort to stay in shape and to keep your walking, sitting and sleeping postures as healthy as possible.

One way to do this is to buy ergonomic furniture that works with (and not against) your body and encourages a healthy alignment of bones and muscles.

Chairs that keep you in an upright yet comfortable posture are ideal and beds that use one of the more recent technological materials like visco elastic memory foam are also good. These beds are cheaper than ever at the moment and their benefits to good sleep and a refreshed start to the following morning are well documented. Check out the internet for the best deals.

Finally one way of getting into shape, encouraging good posture and getting some pleasure at the same time is by walking. Good walking or hiking shoes make walking easy on the feet and have ergonomic designs that support, cushion and assist the feet in the bending and weight bearing motions of walking. Now is a good time to buy.

Gel bed review

I have added another post to the sub-blog about the composite gel - memory foam - spring bed (by Kaymed) that I bought earlier in the year. This http://gel-beds.blogspot.com/ will take you to the latest report where you can get my current thoughts on this bed.

Hiking jacket, boots and wicking T shirt

Several weeks have passed since I purchased the hiking gear and I have now worn the boots, jacket and T shirt in a variety of weather conditions and on some very variable terrain.

The jacket really is great and the more that I wear it the more impressed I am by it.

The manufacturer is Keela and it really does live up to “and beyond” my expectations. At the time I thought that £100 was a lot of money for this garment, but now I feel that it was excellent value for the money. Only last week I found yet another hidden pocket that I previously did not know existed and the clever way that you can access the various pockets whilst keeping the jacket in weatherproof mode is clever rather than (as I suggested before) gimmicky.

The boots do not score quite as highly as the jacket in my book. They are made by Salomon and, whilst they are very comfortable and waterproof – and for that matter breathable, I do have some reservations about them.

The main problem is the quality of the grip in muddy, leafy or slippery underfoot conditions.

This problem may in part be of my own making as I bought these boots based on a recommendation from the seller that was based on my description of their anticipated use.

At the time I did not envisage doing much walking in the rain, let alone walking in 3 or 4 inch deep mud, or a slippery mush of leaves and dirt. I think that it may therefore be possible that my application of these boots is harsher than their use is made for, but even so their inability to give me a good footing when my wife’s similar (and by another manufacturer’s) boots do, gives me some disappointment.

The big problem with these boots is that the tread clogs up very easily and consequently becomes a smooth slippery surface. With my wife’s boots the smaller gaps between the projecting tread seem more able to eject any collected debris as she walks. This means that I sometimes feel my foot starting to slip on terrain that she has a vice like grip on. All told “slightly” disappointing.

The wicking T shirts are excellent. They do the job very well and, in combination with the jacket, it is very easy to manage your bodies heat so that you never feel too hot or (so far at least) too cold.