Occupational Health and Safety

Occupational Health and Safety  » Wheelchair Armrests and Your Safety

Wheelchair Armrests and Your Safety

Disabled individuals are often the most disadvantaged group in

the society. Although there are laws that requires

establishments to apply the necessary adjustment to accommodate

these disabled individuals there are still some who neglect to

provide the appropriate modification. Nevertheless, throughout

the years disabled people have come to adjust to their

surroundings and have been given better opportunity.

Most disabled individuals especially those who have paralyzed

legs or spinal cord uses wheelchair. A wheelchair has many

different parts and functions. For one, the armrest is used as a

resting place of the arm and used for support and stability.

Oftentimes the armrest is one of the taken for granted parts of

a wheelchair. But one cannot deny the fact that the armrest

functions more than a support for the arm. It helps restrain a

person in the wheelchair, it helps stabilize a person in sudden

stops and help in stabilizing a person when picking up something

from the floor. When the weight of your arm is resting on the

armrest, chances are you might be able to straighten your spine

and sit more comfortably.

It's true that armrests can interfere with your wheeling

especially to those persons who have shorter arms. It can hinder

you from reaching something on the floor or on the table.

Nevertheless, armrests are usually removable so you do not need

to use them all the time. In fact many users of wheelchair buy

armrests and use them only when necessary. Additionally, armrest

can protect you if you have limited upper body balance. It could

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also help you shift your weight in the chair to prevent sores.

And as falls could also happen even if you have someone pushing

you, having an armrest could mean the difference between staying

in the wheelchair and getting slammed at the pavement.

The wheelchair industry has produced different types of

armrests. Remember that your choice of armrest should be based

in your activities, environment, special needs, level of

function and preference. Hence, the decision to use armrest is

up to you and what makes you comfortable and not on the

perception of how tough you are or anyone else's attitude.

For comments and suggestions kindly visit Wheelchair Parts

About the author:

Viojieley Gurrobat loves readings books in her spare time. She

writes stories and poems about anything under the sun.