38 replies to this topic

[Big Valley]

I would do your floor to chair style if I could get my hands up that high. Is your seat hight taller than your arm pits when you are on the floor? I can't get both my hands on those frame tubes to be able to lift myself up. If I could the lift wouldn't be a problem.

[gsp23]

My seat tubes are around the height of my armpits depending on how slouched I am sitting but its in that range. What I did before I was able to lift my arms up that high was I would reach behind me at a lower level and I would walk my hands up the front tubes till they got up top, not sure if that will work for you or not. I didnt have the tricep strength to get myself up until recently but I have been working on the system for a while, so I was close before just wasnt quite there until last week.

[Travelling Blackbird]

I've never fallen out of the wheelchair in an unusual place - a couple of times in the road, a couple of times transferring in the bathroom, once tying to go down a couple of steps, once coming out of a bus, so nothing unusual there - but I did fall out in an unusual way once.

It had snowed a few days before this, and the snow was now that packed slush that just jams the front wheels, so the only way to go through it was to work for every inch, lifting and dropping and so on. The gravel the council had spread to give people grip really made it tough going.

I was going up an incline towards a tram stop, and this woman decided to help me since she could see I wasn't doing so well. Now, my chair doesn't have handles, so she decided the best thing to do would be just push me by the shoulders. Without asking.

Yeah.

The front wheels dug into the snow, the chair stopped, and I went up and out of the chair, flat on my face. In the snow.

She gave a yelp... and ran away! Seriously. If only she'd asked.

[DesolateOnPaper]

A couple of years ago I was at a nite club with a few girl friends. We were all on the dance floor (which was of course on a platform, with no ramp!) All of us are getting our groove on and then out of nowhere my detachable wheel falls off!! I hit the floor and start laughing. I find it funny when I fall, its always while I am doing something silly. I felt more bad for the people around me than myself, everyone else looked shocked. My friend helped me put my chair back together and we continued on with our night.

[KarenFerguson]

I hardly ever fall out of my chair. But a few days ago I was in the bathroom getting dressed and pulling up my jeans. This is a no brainier for me, but somehow I managed to be too far forward on my cushion (a cheap thin one that comes with most chairs and can a bit slippery) when wham, just slipped off my chair and onto the bathroom floor. I was like what the heck! How the hell did I manage to fall? I had a good laugh and got in my chair quickly. I'm just glad hubby wasn't around to see me. I think I'll blame my own ass and my low rise jeans for that spill.

[Swordfish]

great topic! I don't fall out my chair very often -- I'd call it 'rare'. Anyhow, last month I was on the bus going home after a long day, and you know the buses that are wheelchair friendly (the public ones) that extend a ramp when need be ... well the ramp was ALMOST down to the ground but I didnt wait so I just wheeled and thought my pressure would put the ramp down quicker... but it somehow bounced back and my chair tipped! it was so embarassing, at the end of the day the buses are PACKED!

[qman]

i learnt 2 ways in rehab,

the first was to have your back to the chair and put both hand back on the top of the down tubes and effectively do one big tricep crunch. but i only did this once or twice. I found it relatively easily but it is about the worst possible thing to do to your shoulders. and lets face it we need to look after our shoulders.

so i worked on the second technique. It took about 10 pt sessions to nail it but it is worth it.

i sit on the floor about 90 degree to chair. tuck my feet up close to my bum. rock my weight over my feet (or one foot as one leg always flops over) and reach one hand onto the far side down tube and the other on the floor. throw your head down and bum up. and vola.

it is more about technique that strength. once you have it it really doesnt require much strength. learning is MUCH easier if you strap your legs together with a velcro strap just below the knees. I used my calf strap off my chair.

i will try and video it some time.

[Murray]

Only fell out of the chair twice (knock on wood - watch - I'll do again in two minutes). Both times while wheeling on trails - one, a so-called wheelchair accessible trail; the other, well - not. I got pitched out of my chair once - riding in the local transit bus; didn't secure front left tie-down; went around a corner and flew. Seriously - got good air. Landed on my left hip and broke it. Didn't know 'til I got home and started the worst AD attack I've ever had. Scary! The first two episodes were nominal.

As for the floor-to-chair technique above. Got lucky. Did it on the first try. After the hip episode, I put on about ten pounds. Haven't tried the transfer since the weight. Kinda think I'll dump. Good excuse to get back in shape!

[Ches]

I've had some close calls but never technically fell out of my chair. I have jumped out and missed the bed more than once.... and I did fall back in Chefzapp's chair last week. That was my first offical "fall" Thanks Chef.