36 replies to this topic

[andypandy17]

Vanessamaee, on 21 August 2011 - 04:47 PM, said:

BWB is Back Wheel Balance, which is exactly what it sounds like, balancing on your back wheels. Just like a wheelie.

Also, I was injured April 30th of this year (a little less than 4 months, wow time has passed) and have flipped backwards the first day I was out of the hospital, with my anti tips on. This kinda freaked me out since the damn things didnt do what they were suppose to. I just took them off a couple days ago because they kept getting in the way. I havent flipped yet (Everyones going have a fall every now and then though.) It's a confidence things. Just take them off and take it easy for a day or two and slowly work your way back up to where you use to be. Be a little more concious going up hills or curbs though, try and lean more forward. Also if you feel yourself tilting backwards just lean really far forward or pull up on the wheels. It takes practice and confidence. I met a lady who still has her anti tips on and its been 26 years since her injury, mines been 3 and a half months and theyre off, its all personal preferance just like everything else.

Thanks that makes a lot of sense. I do have them off now, but it is pretty scary going down curbs really when I tip backwards

ZEN12many, on 21 August 2011 - 07:25 PM, said:

Hi andypandy

Welcome to the forum.

I don't use anti-tippers, never have. But my center of gravity is set to about .5 inch. So you would have to really really try to tip my chair over backward. I think I am too old to ever set my chair to be as tippy as most on this site seem to like.

Hi there

I think you may be right about age. I am 40 next year so perhaps I am too old too

knightrider, on 21 August 2011 - 08:01 PM, said:

Learning to be able to Back wheel balance is an important thing i think for anyone in a chair. I was taught in rehab, same went for curbs, gravel and hills. Once mastered it makes so many obstacles easier. But obviously if you are a high injury or still haven't learned yet anti tips are a great thing. Personally if i never knew how to BWB i'd be using them too.

If you just want them off and your chair is adjustable just change the center of gravity back and will be way less tippy.
The best way of learning to BWB is to have a friend behind you, make sure your chair is set up right (COG, tippy) and just roll back slightly and push forwards so the front casters come off the ground, now once up just make very small hand/finger movements on the rims, eg, if your casters are going back down just push forward (maybe lean back slightly too) If you're tipping too far back, pull back on the rim. Takes a little practice but once you have found the sweet spot and you will, you are there. Another tip, if your head is leaning forwards it will also help the wheelie go back down, as well as pulling back on the rims, so if you're trying to hold the wheelie and your head is too far forward it will make things harder.

Thanks for that KR.

I can do it most of the time - in the house, but going outside is another thing altogether isn't it.
I live in a very hilly town !

[knightrider]

Ha ha yes it is, it's a confidence thing, just keep practicing at home and once you've tried it outside a few times the confidence grows. The safest way of going down curbs if you can't BWB or just give your wheels a little flick so the casters lift up and then roll off which works but can also not ha ha, again a confidence thing, the safest way is to just go off backwards, line up your wheels to the edge of the curb, lean far forward so your chest is touching your knees and move backwards very slowly until you're off the curb, or just simply avoid them lol and find where the pavement/sidewalk goes level'ish to the road

Since you've taken the Anti-tips off and you live in a hilly area just make sure when you are pushing uphill that you lean forward as you push and the opposite when you're rolling down hill, just lean back. Definitely not fun tipping out.

Wish you all the best.

[KayDub]

I'm on loaner chair number 2 and love the anti-tip bars I have on it now. I'll have similar ones when and if my custom chair finnnalllyy comes in. I'm not in a chair because of an injury rather an illness, so I don't even have an SCI. I'm very mobile and in shape, I can use crutches for small distances, I swim religiously, I do ab circuit workouts, etc. I can do some wheelies and what have you but honestly I haven't been in the chair very long. My fiance is actually better at those sorts of things as an AB in my chair than I am. My anti-tip bars are a bit off the ground so I have the ability to go back to maneuver small obstacles without a problem. I just started law school and my books are sooo heavy in my backpack that I find myself wheeling regularly around campus and then going back on my anti tips! I try to adjust my center of gravity and balance further forward to compensate and stop myself from going back but it still happens. I've eaten s*** enough on campus already (and have the scratches, bruises and bumps to prove it) I don't want to continue to make a joke of myself. So don't sweat it, doesn't matter why you're in a chair or what you can do in it, it's all about your comfort level and what works relative to your situation. The second (or third?) comment from an AB with well my friend can so you suck if you can't, was unnecessary and wrong. So welcome to Apparelyzed (even though I'm a new member) there's loads of great insight on here. Some people will slap you into shape and they mean it with the best intentions and best background, some people will be great cheerleaders and very understanding and supportive, others will sometimes make asinine comments but they're few and far between. Stick around and it'll be worth is!

[AussieBrad]

Hey Andy,

I had a motorbike accident and fractured c2,c7 and burst t3,t4,t5.
I was so close to becoming a c2 quad but luckily I ended up as a t4 complete para.

Brad

[wheeliebear75]

I can do wheelies & I can roll forward while doing one for a few feet....like 2-5, I can NOT just BALANCE on them. Children's Hospital taught me to do wheelies to get over obstacles but they never said the wheelies had to be sustained for the 50yrds......50 1yrd wheelies will work just as well.

[andypandy17]

knightrider, on 22 August 2011 - 04:39 PM, said:

Ha ha yes it is, it's a confidence thing, just keep practicing at home and once you've tried it outside a few times the confidence grows. The safest way of going down curbs if you can't BWB or just give your wheels a little flick so the casters lift up and then roll off which works but can also not ha ha, again a confidence thing, the safest way is to just go off backwards, line up your wheels to the edge of the curb, lean far forward so your chest is touching your knees and move backwards very slowly until you're off the curb, or just simply avoid them lol and find where the pavement/sidewalk goes level'ish to the road

Since you've taken the Anti-tips off and you live in a hilly area just make sure when you are pushing uphill that you lean forward as you push and the opposite when you're rolling down hill, just lean back. Definitely not fun tipping out.

Wish you all the best.

Hi KR

Just noticed you are from the UK. I live in Cornwall so definitely hilly !

KayDub, on 22 August 2011 - 05:41 PM, said:

I'm on loaner chair number 2 and love the anti-tip bars I have on it now. I'll have similar ones when and if my custom chair finnnalllyy comes in. I'm not in a chair because of an injury rather an illness, so I don't even have an SCI. I'm very mobile and in shape, I can use crutches for small distances, I swim religiously, I do ab circuit workouts, etc. I can do some wheelies and what have you but honestly I haven't been in the chair very long. My fiance is actually better at those sorts of things as an AB in my chair than I am. My anti-tip bars are a bit off the ground so I have the ability to go back to maneuver small obstacles without a problem. I just started law school and my books are sooo heavy in my backpack that I find myself wheeling regularly around campus and then going back on my anti tips! I try to adjust my center of gravity and balance further forward to compensate and stop myself from going back but it still happens. I've eaten s*** enough on campus already (and have the scratches, bruises and bumps to prove it) I don't want to continue to make a joke of myself. So don't sweat it, doesn't matter why you're in a chair or what you can do in it, it's all about your comfort level and what works relative to your situation. The second (or third?) comment from an AB with well my friend can so you suck if you can't, was unnecessary and wrong. So welcome to Apparelyzed (even though I'm a new member) there's loads of great insight on here. Some people will slap you into shape and they mean it with the best intentions and best background, some people will be great cheerleaders and very understanding and supportive, others will sometimes make asinine comments but they're few and far between. Stick around and it'll be worth is!

Hi Kaydub

We sound very similar. I aren't in a chair due to an accident either, but my spinal cord was tethered and has now left me with severe weakness in my legs. I can walk about 20 "steps" with crutches, I say steps as I tend to drag my legs. I also swim. I play wheelchair tennis too - I love it !

Thanks for the support.

AussieBrad, on 23 August 2011 - 03:59 AM, said:

Hey Andy,

I had a motorbike accident and fractured c2,c7 and burst t3,t4,t5.
I was so close to becoming a c2 quad but luckily I ended up as a t4 complete para.

Brad

motorbikes eh ? what can I say ?

[dianna318]

First Andy Pandy, don't let a reply you feel is rude dissuade you from this forum! It's not the norm! Sometimes it just does not come
out quite like we think or possibly they are just having a "BAD" day. It's mostly all support and good advice on here.


Second, I love the chair you picked out!!! I am going on 6 years and still have an old invacare with wheelie bars! I actually love mine

as do a few others here. I like to pop back and rest in the reclined position. I can walk with crutches and they lock right alongside my

arm rest and I can put my legs up on them. It gets painful to have my legs down all the time. Those are the things that kinda keep me

from getting a "COOL" chair like the Quikie your looking at. I would love to get a lighter chair as mine is a tank and ways a ton! LOL

Lastly, so glad to meet you and keep us up on your progress with the knew chair, wheelie bars or not. I always thought "Wheelie Bars"

sounded better than anti-tip bars, LOL