Oct. 15, 2022
Aside from choosing the right wheelchair for outdoor use, you need to know how to use your wheelchair safely. In this guide, we’ll let you know some useful safety tips that will help you use your wheelchair.
Being a wheelchair user, you should always be careful with the road condition. Because using a wheelchair in these following road conditions may bring you trouble or even danger. Riding on soft soil is definitely not a good choice. Its structure is unstable, which means it will collapse at any minute. Its instability makes riding on it become an unwise decision, you will need to take the risk of falling on the ground. Riding on a smooth surface is also a bad choice. Smooth surfaces lack surface friction, which means that your brakes may function poorly or even stop working. It’s very dangerous to your and others' safety. Be cautious of the long grass when riding on the grassland. It can easily entangle your wheelchair’s gear and damage your gear function.
People are encouraged to wear seat belts when riding in a wheelchair. It can secure your safety, and make sure you will not be thrown out of the wheelchair when you get unexpected impact by steps or something else. On the other hand, the seat belt will be dragged into the wheels and cause dangers when moving with the loose seat belt.
If your wheelchair is using the pneumatic wheel, please check the tire pressure every time before using it. Please don’t go out with flat tires or air pressure too low, they may cause brake failure and lead to accidents. Going out when the wheelchair left only one bar of battery is also not a wise choice, please use it when it gets fully charged. If the electric wheelchair does not use in a long term, please charge it once a month to avoid the battery being out of service.
Try not to get up or down stairs by escalator or steps when you are not companion with the nursing staff, use an elevator if possible. If you have to go up or down stairs by escalator or steps, please make sure you are accompanied by the nursing staff.
Please engage the brakes and make sure the wheelchair is locked and immovable, electric wheelchair should shut down the battery. In case of the wheelchair moves and causes falling. You can place your feet on the footplate when sitting in the wheelchair but stepping on the footplate when getting on or off can be dangerous. The wheelchair may turn over and makes you fall to the ground.
Just sitting in a wheelchair is safe, but if you lean your body as you want then the situation will become complicated. It is extremely dangerous to lean your body out of the wheelchair when the wheelchair is moving. The wheelchair may turn over and even make the nursing staff lose balance. Pick up stuff on the ground in front of the wheelchair when sitting on it also can cause a turnover, try to ask somebody else to pick it up for you if necessary.
