9
2 Issue 4
Using your chair
1. Avoid reaching or leaning if you
must shift your weight to do so.
Moving forwards in your seat
may cause the chair to tip
forward. Always keep your lower
back in contact with the
backrest. Ask for help or use a
device to extend your reach.
2. Never reach with both hands. If
you do so, you may not be able
to catch yourself to prevent a fall
if the chair tips.
3. Never lean backwards to reach
for an object unless your chair
has anti-tip tubes and they are
locked in the down position.
4. If you must reach or lean from
your wheelchair:
!
rotate the front castors to the
forward position. To do this,
move your chair past the object,
then back up alongside it.
!
place your chair as close as
you can to the object you wish to
reach.
!
steady yourself by firmly
grasping an armrest with one
hand. This will help you prevent
a fall if the chair tips.
!
avoid putting pressure on the
footrests while reaching. This
may cause the chair to tip
forward.
!
do not lock the rear wheels.
This creates a tipping point and
makes a fall or tip over more
likely.
Doorways and obstacles
Warning:
1. As much as possible ensure that
the floor areas where you use
the chair are level and free of
obstacles by:
!
removing or covering
threshold strips between rooms,
!
installing a ramp at entry or
exit doors.
2. If your chair has anti-tip tubes,
make sure you lock them in the
down position before you go
over an obstacle.
3. Keep both your hands on the
handrims. If you fail to do so,
you may lose control of your
chair and tip over.
4. Do not propel you chair by
pushing or pulling on an object.
Never pull yourself through a
doorway by grabbing the
doorjambs with one or both hands.
5. To help correct the centre of
balance of your chair you
should:
!
lean your upper body forward
slightly as you go up over an
obstacle.
!
press your upper body
backward as you go down from
a higher to a lower level.
Reaching or leaning
Warning:
Reaching or leaning affects the centre
of balance of your chair if you fail to
heed these warnings, a fall or tip over
may occur and cause severe injury to you.