2 replies to this topic

[serendipidy]

Hi All

I dont have a spinal injury i have FMS, i hope you dont mind me posting here but i thought i would ask the 'experts' so to speak'

I have a quickie neon 18" wide x 16" deep wheelchair which i love apart from the air exchange back which doesnt give me enough support and ive messed around with cushions, jay basic, flotech image, one from wheelchair services which appears to have done a disappearing act.

I managed to get hold of a Jay 2 deep contour back and a Jay 2 deep contour cushion also there is a jay care cushion aswell which is comfy and im using at the moment.

The Jay 2 cushion is 19" wide and 20" long and 4" thick, the width is fine it fits in the chair, the depth it hangs over the front but it isnt uncomfortable to the back of my legs but i havnt tried it for that long and im quite high in the chair

The Jay 2 back is 'matching' so i presume its 19" wide. It fits and is lovely but the clamps are in the wrong place.

My question is can i make either of these fit my chair, id really like to be able to use them as the are so comfy and supporting and it would be such a shame if i couldnt as mist of us funds are limited and we all struggle to afford new.

Thoughts and comments would be great

Many thanks

Serendipidy x x x

[Olan]

Greetings Serendipity.
I am replying from Dublin, in Ireland. For years, I have used the Jay 2 cushion in my manual chair. After an operation on my shoulder, I had to use an electric chair for a while. Because it was a different size, I was loaned a Jay2 deep contour cushion. I wasn't crazy about it, but I had to buy it in the end because we adapted it. I'm glad to be back in my manual wheelchair now, and using a new Jay2 cushion.

I know your funds are limited but personally, I couldn't really see the point of the deep contour. Maybe it's just me. As we all know, we are all different.

My suggestion is very simple. The base section of the J. cushions are designed to be cut to shape. You can cut it in any way you want. I advise you to hang onto any bits that you cut off because you can reattach them with extra strong industrial glue. I have done this myself in the past. I was introduced to this when I went to a rehabilitation centre in Switzerland after my shoulder injury. the occupational therapists there are very quick to shape products to the individual in the way described above.

The key to the cushion is the gel anyway. this is where most of the protection is. The base is important, but as long as you are sitting comfortably in the gel, everything should be fine.

Similarly, I tried the J2 deep contour back support. It didn't work. The new Jay3 back support is amazing, if you get the right size for yourself. It fits the whole back much better. The problem with the one you have is the lack of support down at the crucial sacral region of your spine. (Bear in mind, I'm talking as a spinal injury here. But everybody's spine needs the proper support.)

If you can't afford a new J3, I might recommend something similar to the above. maybe find a local tradesmen who works with metals and see if he will do you a favour. When I was adapting my house a few years ago, the builder brought in this guy to make a piece of fencing. He makes customised stuff like that. Anyway, he took an interest in a couple of problems I had with my wheelchair and he was able to manufacture solutions. once, one of the holding brackets went on the back support. Rather than wait weeks for a replacement part, he just did it in his workshop. It wasn't particularly expensive since most of his work was very big and this was just a small job to copy an original part for a wheelchair. I know I was lucky to find the guy, because he also has an interest in design. I don't know, maybe you could fish around and by chance find somebody.?

Hope this helps.
Olan

serendipidy, on Apr 23 2009, 06:31 PM, said:

Hi All

I dont have a spinal injury i have FMS, i hope you dont mind me posting here but i thought i would ask the 'experts' so to speak'

I have a quickie neon 18" wide x 16" deep wheelchair which i love apart from the air exchange back which doesnt give me enough support and ive messed around with cushions, jay basic, flotech image, one from wheelchair services which appears to have done a disappearing act.

I managed to get hold of a Jay 2 deep contour back and a Jay 2 deep contour cushion also there is a jay care cushion aswell which is comfy and im using at the moment.

The Jay 2 cushion is 19" wide and 20" long and 4" thick, the width is fine it fits in the chair, the depth it hangs over the front but it isnt uncomfortable to the back of my legs but i havnt tried it for that long and im quite high in the chair

The Jay 2 back is 'matching' so i presume its 19" wide. It fits and is lovely but the clamps are in the wrong place.

My question is can i make either of these fit my chair, id really like to be able to use them as the are so comfy and supporting and it would be such a shame if i couldnt as mist of us funds are limited and we all struggle to afford new.

Thoughts and comments would be great

Many thanks

Serendipidy x x x

[serendipidy]

Hi Olan

Thank you so much for your reply, i thought i had made a real boo boo by posting here because i dont have a spinal injury or that people were just 'unfriendly' to those with other issues. You have restored my faith.

Last year i had sacral ulcers and with the warmer weather coming i felt like i was starting on that road again.

I was looking out for something that would help and then i happened upon these items for sale, there was a jay care cushion which im using at the moment and like ok and the other two the deep cushion and deep contour back came together.

Ive contacted the place where i get my wheelchair stuff from and they have agreed to look at it for me to see if we can cobble/modify it to fit my chair if it meets my needs etc.

Ive got the air exchange adjustable upholstry on my neon at the moment and whilst it does the cooling well i get little or no support. The J2 back has a triangle of foam/polystyrene which feels quite good.

The deep contour part was purely because thats what the guy had for sale, i will definatly ask for advice when i go this week about cutting it to fit as that seems a good option. Another thought maybe is to sell these on to someone who knows they work for them and then buy the J3 you suggest. any ideas on cost?

Thanks again