10 replies to this topic

[quintooo]

hey all. i'm a manual chair user (tilite zra2). i'm having difficulties with my legs moving around on my cushion and footplate while i'm wheeling. it's distracting, uncomfortable, and can make it hard for me to get a good push if my feet are off the plate, etc. i just plain don't like the feeling. because of the setup of my chair, a shin strap wouldn't do anything, and i kind of want more control than that anyway - like keeping my legs totally still. i have a pair of toe clips (for racing bikes) that i zip-tied to the front of my footplate. they keep my feet pretty stationary, but they only work with small shoes and so are a no-go in winter because i wear massive down booties to avoid frostbite. they also don't solve the problem of my knees knocking around. i've looked around a bit on websites like bodypoint's site but didn't get any ideas. i think part of the problem for me is i don't know of any resources where i can see like a guide of different add-ons or options for chairs. errr yeah. if anyone has the same problem with being bothered by errant legs and found a solution, let me know ! or if you don't but think of something that might work, that's great too. thanks all and sorry for being a bit long-winded - being up for a few days usually does that to me.

[Ferreira]

Probably the foot plate is too much in an horizontal position, did you try to lift it up a bit in the front? Is the leg height correct, or are you feet kinda hanging? There must be some pressure from the soles to avoid slippering also, but always respecting the ideal height/position to avoid sores.

Edited by Ferreira, 04 December 2011 - 12:16 PM.

[quintooo]

Ferreira, on 04 December 2011 - 12:15 PM, said:

Probably the foot plate is too much in an horizontal position, did you try to lift it up a bit in the front? Is the leg height correct, or are you feet kinda hanging? There must be some pressure from the soles to avoid slippering also, but always respecting the ideal height/position to avoid sores.

i hadn't thought about changing the footplate angle - i might give that a shot. the leg height is correct most of the time, and when i'm wearing different shoes i have 1" and 2" foam wedge inserts i can use to change the leg height to accommodate thicker-soled shoes. i have trouble with putting pressure through my legs, as it causes extreme pain, so that's why i was using stuff like toe clips to hold my feet down without really putting much pressure on them with my body.

[Ferreira]

I assume you have some sort of belt or strap behind your feet, that is a must have. Loosen it a bit to let your feet touch the plate more at the middle/front.
Let me know how it goes.

[Vanessamaee]

I have the issue of my feet falling off forward. We fixed this by getting a angle adjustable foot rest, so now my toes are higher than my heels. Also I have a calf strap to prevent my feet from sliding backwards now. As far as keeping your legs together and not flopping around, I dont use anything daily but in wheelchair basketball we use a strap that goes across our lap to hold our legs tightly together, this allows for the extreme hard pushes and sharp turns without our legs flying all over the place.

lap belts look like these, you can find them on almost any site the sells wheelchair parts (sportaid, 1800wheelchair, spinlife, etc.) you can also make your own
http://gus.dlf-data....42&groupid=2054

Edited by Vanessamaee, 04 December 2011 - 05:34 PM.

[Zack]

I was able to solve my problem with that happening by using double sided Velcro tape under my sneakers to keep my feet from sliding forward on my foot plates.
My legs and knees wobbling around I solved by lowering my leg rest one notch so my thighs were baring more weight on my cushion. That also took weight of my ischium bones in my butt. And now I don't get red irritated skin on them. Less chance of getting a pressure sore.


That Universal Trap looks pretty neat. Thanks for sharing Vanessamaee.

Edited by Zack, 04 December 2011 - 07:45 PM.

[wheeliebear75]

Aside from the straps that are used in sports like Vanessa was suggesting I don't have any other suggestions.

[greybeard]

Vanessamaee, on 04 December 2011 - 05:33 PM, said:

you can also make your own
http://gus.dlf-data....42&groupid=2054

Those prices are quite ridiculous. Make your own.

[Vanessamaee]

greybeard, on 04 December 2011 - 11:33 PM, said:

Vanessamaee, on 04 December 2011 - 05:33 PM, said:

you can also make your own
http://gus.dlf-data....42&groupid=2054

Those prices are quite ridiculous. Make your own.

^agreed. I would never actually pay for one of those, that was just an example, make your own. Even a large belt can be sufficient.

[quintooo]

any tips on what to do if the strap digs into your flesh ? i repurposed some straps from my days as a canoe tripper. they seem to be doing the trick but i can already feel the dig in my legs. my skin is uber sensitive. my mum suggested i take the straps to a shoe repair shop and see if they'll sew a tube of neoprene or something onto the straps. neoprene is easy enough to find if you don't mind ripping up a laptop sleeve.

[Priority Seatin]

I used to have this issue with my old chair. I found some velcro straps at a sporting goods store and they worked fine. It was just annoying when I transfer from my chair to another surface because I kept forgetting that my feet were strapped to the footplate (since I can't feel my ankles or my feet).