Category: Exercise

Helping Someone with Limited Mobility Accomplish Everyday Chores with Ease

The sight of a person on a wheelchair brings misconceptions. Many non-disabled individuals assume wheelchair users are severely sick, have mental conditions, or cannot walk completely. While this may be true in some cases, many wheelchair users can function well enough. The only reason they need a wheelchair is that they have limited mobility. The wheelchair helps them get on with their everyday activities.

 

Many wheelchair users can accomplish the following chores despite their conditions, proving that they can get by with their mobility issues:

  1. Vacuuming with a handheld cordless vacuum
  2. Sweeping with a lightweight broom
  3. Gardening on an elevated bed planter
  4. Cleaning dishes with a dishwasher
  5. Doing the laundry with a front-loading washing machine
  6. Prepping meals on a height-adjustable work surface
  7. Creating shopping lists and grocery inventory
  8. Keeping track of finances and budget
  9. Paying bills online or through digital means

 

In 2016, approximately 1.85 percent of the world’s population required a wheelchair, according to the Wheelchair Foundation. That percentage translated to about 131,800,000 people.

 

Making the Home Wheelchair-Friendly

 

With more people requiring wheelchairs, it’s time for home builders and contractors to design residential structures that adapt to the needs of these individuals. Family members must also keep these needs in mind when thinking of the layout of the home, to accommodate the wheelchair user.

 

Start with the doorway and the ramp. The Americans with Disabilities Act sets the standard for doorway width, which should allow a wheelchair to enter or exit, as well as maneuver easily. Family members or landlords must also simplify the interior layout to facilitate wheelchair movement and maintain the safety of the disabled resident. Here’s how:

  1. In the kitchen, invest in wall ovens instead of standard floor units. To help wheelchair users see the contents of pots and pans while cooking, place mirrors where necessary. Still, though these handy tools are available, someone should assist the wheelchair user cook to ensure safety.

 

  1. Remove unnecessary objects from the living room, so there will be fewer items to dust and clean. Also, furniture should be strategically positioned to allow for wheelchair access.

 

  1. In the laundry room, place all hampers, detergents, and other laundry materials in one reachable place so that the wheelchair user doesn’t have to go back and forth to fetch things. Opt for non-slip flooring in this part of the house.

 

  1. Place storage cabinets on the floor in kitchens, laundry rooms, and washrooms. Make sure they have side openings for easy access to stored items.

 

While the wheelchair is a part of who they are, wheelchair users are not defined by their wheelchairs or their conditions. Friends and family should not be quick to dismiss their interest to help out around the house. Instead, they should encourage these individuals to find something valuable or meaningful to do. When wheelchair users are not pitied or treated differently, they can start feeling like 98 percent of the population.

 

If you or your loved one is looking for a place to buy a wheelchair to help with your loved one’s mobility needs, you’ve come to the right site. Here at 1800wheelchair.com, we offer various wheelchairs that suit your unique needs.

 

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5 tips how to get back on track after a knee injury

Knee injuries are no fun, because they not only come with pain, but they also limit your movements and take quite a long time to heal completely and for you to get back to where you were before the injury. Lucky there are thing you can do to aid in your knee injury recovery and to make this process take a bit less time than it usually would.

#1: Rest, ice, elevate

The vary first thing you should do when you are recovering from a knee injury is give your knee time to heal. If you start activity too soon, without the injury being properly healed, you can easily re-injure your knee and  even make the injury worse. So rest your knee and avoid putting stress or weight on it, if it still huts to do it. And start to walk on it only when that doesn’t hurt anymore. Then I would also recommend your icing your knee to keep the swelling down and to ease the pain that knee injuries bring, as well as elevating your knee when you aren’t standing will also provide pain relief as well as quicker healing.

#2: Talk to your doctor

Before you start any additional activity, you should talk to the doctor that is treating your injured knee. There are many different knee injuries that one can sustain, and they all also require different times to heal and different recovery process. Consult with your doctor as to when would be the best time for you to ease back into exercising and how to exactly do it, so you can do it without being scared that you will do something to hurt your knee again. You can even go to a physical therapist if you want, because these doctors specialize in injury recovery and will be able to provide you with the best possible advice.

#3: Stretch and strengthen

One of the first things to do, when your injury is beginning to heal and you want to get back on track of  being active and working out, is to stretch the knee and strengthen it. Many times knee injuries take your knee out of commission for several months, in which time the muscles around your knee can get weak and stiff. So do strengthening and stretching exercises with your injured knee, and your knee will be able to bare your weight and the stress of movement better, hurting less and letting you get back do exercising and doing simple everyday activities as soon as possible.

#4: Ease back into it

The most important thing to remember when you are starting to be active and working out after a knee injury is to ease into it. You absolutely cannot just start vigorous training, not only because you will be in excruciating pain if you do this, but also because that can hurt your knee again, throwing all of the healing that your injury had done out of the window and leaving your injured once again. Start slowly and make sure to intensify your workouts for about 10 to 15 % at most, because this way you won’t be over-working your injured knee, but still will be able to get back in shape.

#5: Compress your knee

Also think about getting a some sort of compress for your injured knee. It can be knee sleeves, simple elastic bandages that you tie around your knee or even basketball knee pads that often have the sleeve like abilities plus an added padding on the knee for shock absorption. This type of compression gear will keep your knee tight, in shape as well as will keep your joint warm for longer, which will all help you with the pain or discomfort you will be sure to feel at first when you start exercising after a knee injury.

This article was brought to you by KneeSafe.com

How to Prepare for Colder Weather When Living with a Mobility Issue

As much of the nation is headed into, if not already feeling, the coldest time of the year, it’s a good idea to make sure that anyone who uses mobility equipment such as knee walkers or wheelchairs are fully prepared. Depending on the severity of your mobility needs, winter preparedness can vary from case to case, but there are some basic steps you can take to be sure you enjoy a safe winter.

Make arrangements with family members or an aid for help.

If you are in a situation where you already have a visiting or live-in aid that helps with your needs, take the time to go over safety needs for cold and nasty weather. If you don’t have such ready assistance, contact family members or friends to ask if they would be willing to be called upon in the event that you need extra assistance during these cold months.

Allow extra time for your travels.

While many people facing mobility issues already have to factor extra time in for their travels, winter traveling may require even more added time. The threat of treacherous sidewalks, slow and cautious traffic, and even stalled cars means that winter travel can be unpredictable and dangerous. Be sure you allow yourself more time to get to where you’re going.

Have a Back-Up Exit Plan.

Winter weather makes it hard for anyone to head out…particularly those that depend on wheelchair ramps to exit their homes. In the event that your usual exit is blocked or inaccessible, try to have a back-up in mind. If there is no available secondary exit in your home, this is another place you can rely on friends or family for help.

Try to get errands and visits done during the daylight hours.

As temperatures drop towards late afternoon, roads become more unpredictable and dangerous. Because of this, check your local weather and try to get all of your errands and travel done during the warmer hours of the day.

Seek Out Special Aid in Your Area

Public shelters and local organizations may offer special aid to those with disability in the event of winter emergencies. Call ahead and check with these organizations, though, as some require registration. Do some digging to see if your community offers this sort of assistance.

Make sure to follow these steps and you should be well prepared for the coming winter.

From Wheelchair To Hydrotherapy: A Resource Guide To Natural Healing Properties

A lot of effort, time and money is spent on finding medical cures for various diseases. Yet, some of the best cures from natural sources, including herbs and hot springs. The water from hot springs is actually underground water, which comes up to the surface. Until modern medicine was invented in the middle of the twentieth century, natural hot springs used to be considered by many as a great healing agent. Today, there are many people who believe in the healing powers of natural spring waters.

Hydrotherapy

In the 5th century, the famous Greek physician Hippocrates discovered the healing properties of water. He is known as the father of medicine and he has mentioned in his accounts the therapeutic importance of water. If anyone is suffering from any type of muscle injury or joint injury, then hydrotherapy, even though a slow technique, helps immensely in the recovery process. Hydro means water while therapy is derived from the Greek word “therapeia” meaning a service. Hydrotherapy means the use of water to cure certain ailments.

Initially, the process is mild, starting in a warm pool of water with general stretching exercises. Later, it’s taken to a higher level. Hydrotherapy is a very gentle process. It’s excellent for repairing and strengthening injured muscles. The exercises depend upon the type of injury and so they must be done in the presence of a physiotherapist. Natural spring water has many useful minerals and salts which possess healing properties.

  • Water Use: Discusses the use of water in hydrotherapy tanks.
  • Arthritis: Describes how hydrotherapy is beneficial to people who suffer from the condition.
  • Hydrotherapy: Highlights the benefits of hydrotherapy.
  • Cancer: Explains how hydrotherapy can benefit cancer patients.
  • Pain: Provides information on how hydrotherapy can play a part in pain management.
  • Warm Hydrotherapy: Discusses the effectiveness of the process on muscle relaxation and cardiovascular system.
  • Back Pain: Explores the use of hydrotherapy for relief of back pain, stress, and headaches.

Native Americans

For hundreds of years, Native Americans inculcated a deep reverence for the hot water springs located in the Ouachita Mountain Valley. In 1832, Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas was given federal protection. The Colorado springs were studied extensively by scientists. The study found active ingredients such as sulfur, calcium, silica, magnesium, and radium. Elements, such as radium, are excellent for people suffering from tuberculosis. Another spring used first by the Native Americans is the Frankford Mineral Springs located in Pennsylvania. There is evidence near the springs that proves that Native Americans visited the hot springs and believed that the water possessed curative properties.

  • Pagosa Hotsprings: Relates Native American tales related to the springs.
  • Saratoga: Another mineral spring which was used by Native Americans.
  • Manitou Springs: Offers some historical background on this famous mineral spring.
  • Serpentine Hot Springs: A report on this spring in Alaska which was associated with Native Americans.
  • Dawson Springs: A hot spring located in Kentucky with links to Native Americans.
  • Arkansas Valley & Ouachita Mountains: Provides geological information on the region.
  • Oregon: Offers information on the mineral springs found in Oregon, mostly found Native Americans.
  • North Carolina: A look at the history of mineral springs in North Carolina.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

One of the most popular Presidents of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, believed that water has healing properties. In 1921, he was diagnosed with polio. At that time, not much was known about the disease and no cure was available. As a result, Roosevelt got paralyzed. After hearing about the therapeutic nature of water, he purchased a resort at Warm Springs in Georgia with the express purpose of treating his aliment. He recovered a lot after the hydrotherapy treatment. Today, the Roosevelt Warm Springs has become a popular hydrotherapy center where thousands of similar patients are cured.

Properties of Water Springs

Even today, people believe in the miraculous healing powers of hot springs. It has been scientifically proven that these water bodies contain high quantity of minerals with curing properties. Minerals like calcium, sulfur, salt crystals, and lithium have a healing effect on many body organs. Sulfur helps in curing many skin diseases like dermatitis, fungal infections, and other skin infections. Bathing and drinking of such mineral rich water is highly beneficial. Not only does the water cure diseases but it’s also very good for the skin. It can help to protect people from various diseases. The temperatures of these waters can range from 30 degrees Celsius up to boiling and beyond so it’s important to be careful when you are visiting a mineral spring. Some other famous water springs are present in Germany, Mexico, Australia, Japan, Qadamgah, Canada, Russia, China and many other countries.

  • Sulfur: One of the key minerals found in water springs.
  • Drink the Water: Expounds the benefits of drinking water from hot springs.
  • Waterberg: A report on the chemical and physical properties of thermal springs in the Waterberg region in South Africa.
  • South Kamchatka: A study on the hydrogeochemistry and structure of thermal springs at this location in Russia.
  • Microbes: A study of microbes in carbonate hot springs.
  • Germany & Middle Europe: Offers information on properties of thermal springs in these places.
  • Calcium: A look at one of the minerals commonly found in water springs.
  • Lithium & Alzheimer’s Disease: Discusses the potential role of lithium in preventing the disease.
  • Grover Hot Springs: A hot spring located in California.
  • Liard River Hot Springs: A famous hot springs in British Columbia.

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How To Exercise if You Are Wheelchair User

The prospect of full-time wheelchair use can be very difficult to adapt to. Important to both psychical and mental health is an active life which includes excise. Exercise helps to ensure that the body is fit and the muscle tone is retained. A lack of exercise can lead to an increase in blood clots and also higher chances of contracting illness. Sitting in the same position can cause body sores which are painful and difficult to alleviate. Note: always check with your physician before starting any exercise regime.

How to Get Motivated

In the early stages, it’s a huge challenge to get motivated to exercise. Try to think of the positive aspects and the benefits to be enjoyed by exercising. A friend or spouse can encourage you and be with you until you start to develop a true interest. Set aside a few hours in a day for exercising and try to keep the routine around the same time. You can also set targets and try to achieve them. Getting together with friends always helps motivation. Group sports like wheelchair basketball and football offer an excellent chance for some competitive fun.

The Benefits of Exercises

Exercise is especially important for wheelchair users, here are some of the benefits of exercise.

  • It helps to tone your muscles and improve your overall health.
  • Exercising ensures that your weight is in check.
  • It helps to maintain a certain fitness level.
  • It increases your flexibility, mobility, body awareness, and muscle strength.
  • Exercising generate endorphins which is an anti-depressant.
  • As your mental health improves, you will feel good about yourself and gain confidence.
  • It reduces stress levels.
  • It helps to improve blood circulation, spine stability, and posture.

Resistance Training

Resistance training can be done with the help of a resistance band tied to a door handle or similar firm object. Exercises such as arm and leg extensions, lat pull downs or rows can be done with the help of this band. In the row exercise, you hold the band, bend your elbows, and pull away or towards yourself in a smooth way. Then, return to the original position, and start again. These bands are available in different strengths so it’s great to choose one which is best suited for you.

Strength Training

Before you begin doing any strength training exercises, you should warm up with stretches for five minutes. After the exercises, there should also be five minutes of cooling down. Pushups are one form of strength training. Apply the brakes on your wheelchair and place your hands on the armrest. Holding the armrest, lift your body a few inches off the seat and slowly sit back again. Repeat this five times and increase the number of sets gradually. Take breaks in between and be careful not to overexert. You can also do overhead stretches which involves sitting straight and extending both hands above the head while inhaling. Interlock your fingers and turn your palms towards ceiling. Then, exhale and push your hands slightly backwards. Hold the position for few seconds and return to original position. Repeat the set five times. Use free weights or dumbbells for bicep curls and lateral raises.

How to Get into Wheelchair Sports and What is Available

Sports like basketball, volleyball, rugby, skiing, football, table tennis, tennis, track and field, and even golf are available for the wheelchair users. For some of these sports, the rules and arena may be changed to cater to the needs of wheelchair sportsmen and sportswomen. Wheelchair sports are good for the heart and lungs. For people who play a full game of wheel chair basketball or engage in any other type of wheelchair sports, they will find that energy is burned very quickly. There’s also a great feeling of satisfaction to know that they are still able to play the sports they love. It’s not so hard to find wheelchair sports groups in the area. Try the Internet or the local district office to get more information. Throughout the year, there are competitions for all sorts of wheelchair sports.

In addition to regular exercises, there are aerobic exercises, and Pilates, which is known as sitting aerobics. Aerobic exercises help improve posture and reduce pain in the spine. These exercises focus on upper body movements and improve overall fitness.

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1800wheelchair has a huge selection of fitness and rehab items, including: wheelchair fitness equipment and scales built specifically for wheelchairs.

The Game of Quad Rugby

Quad rugby is a sport that was developed for individuals and athletes who have upper body disabilities. The event typically takes place on a basketball court in which the players are in wheelchairs. Originally known as “murder ball”, quad rugby has transformed into a popular Paralympic sport practiced in over twenty countries. Established in 1993, the sport of quad rugby is governed by the International Wheelchair Rugby Federations.

Wheelchair, or quad, rugby was developed in 1976 in the country of Canada by five Canadian wheelchair athletes. Jerry Terwin, Randy Dueck, Chris Sargent, Duncan Campbell and Paul LeJeune created quad rugby to be a sport for quadriplegics. The sport required its players to dribble and shoot baskets. Each team is made up of four players and allowed unlimited substitutes. Quad rugby is played with a volleyball which is carried, batted or passed with the object of the game being to get the ball across the 20 meter goal. Chair contact with other players with or without the ball is encouraged and the player with the ball must dribble or pass the ball in intervals of ten seconds.

  • Quad Rugby History: The history of quad rugby (wheelchair rugby), field dimensions and rules of the game.
  • USA Paralympics: Official United States of America Paralympic website with performance plans, selection procedures and team rosters.
  • Adaptive Sports Program: Wheelchair rugby as an adaptive sports program as a rehabilitation option with videos of a quad rugby game.

In 2005, a documentary film called ‘Murderball’ was directed by Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro. The Oscar nominated film focuses on the rivalry between Canadian and U.S rugby teams. The low budget film is about quadriplegics who play the sport of quad (wheelchair) rugby which lead up to the 2004 Paralympics games. The film was nominated in the 78th Academy Awards for ‘Best Documentary Feature’. The major international quad rugby competitions are held in Zone Championships, or each odd numbered year. In even numbered years, the World Championships are held, opposite the Paralympics Games and the Summer Paralympics Games.

Quad rugby is a competitive, fast-paced sport for individuals with quadriplegia. There are over 50 hard-hitting quad rugby teams in the United States alone and over 20 international teams, making this wheelchair sport one of the most popular Paralympic events.

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A Guide To The Paralympics Games

With the world gearing up for the 2014 Olympics, we’d like to take a moment to remind you that Sochi will also play host to this year’s Paralympics. If you’re not familiar with the paralympics, or you just need a refresher, read through our rundown on the history of the games.

The Paralympic Games are games played in the style of the Olympic Games, but are for athletes with physical and intellectual disabilities. The prefix “Para” stems from the word “parallel,” and alludes to the fact that the competition takes place alongside the Olympic Games. 

Sir Ludwig Guttmann founded the games in 1948. He wanted to start a sport that involved veterans from World War II. Within a few years, veterans from other nations joined in the competition. By 1960, a formal games strategy was formed, and the once informal competition garnered the official name of the Paralympic Games. They Games are held every two years, with both winter and summer Games being staged, and are held in the same host city and venues as the Olympic Games.

There are currently 26 different sports on the Paralympic Games program – 21 summer and 5 winter. Winter sports include alpine and cross country skiing, biathlon, wheelchair curling and sled hockey, while summer sports feature many familiar to Olympic Games fans, including track & field, swimming, cycling, Three sports are specific to the Paralympic Games – wheelchair rugby, boccia and goalball, a sport for athletes who are blind or visually impaired. Two new sports, paratriathlon and canoe, will make their Paralympic Games debut in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.

Athletes are categorized by their disabilities and these categories are then classified based on the sport being played. The athlete categories include amputee, cerebral palsy/traumatic brain injury/stroke, wheelchair-users, blind/visual impairment, and les autres. Les autres is a French phrase which means “the others,” and this category includes all athletes that don’t fit into the other five categories. Some well-known Paralympic athletes include, April Holmes, Erin Popovich, Rudy Garcia-Tolson, Matt Scott, Chris Waddell, Sarah Will, and Jessica Long. Then there is Ragnhild Myklebust of Norway, who holds the record for the most medals ever won at the Paralympic Winter Games. Over the course of her illustrious career, she won 22 medals, 17 of which were gold.

Over the years, the Paralympic Games have seen their fair share of controversy. In 2000, some non-disabled athletes from Spain entered the Games and played on the basketball team for athletes with intellectual disabilities. This prompted the International Paralympic Committeeto suspend all intellectually disabled athletes from Paralympic competition until further evaluation. The committee claimed it would re-evaluate this after the Beijing Games, but no final decision has been made. Doping has also become an issue. During the Sydney Games in 2000, 14 athletes tested positive for doping, and 10 of those were participating in the powerlifting competition. Despite its controversies, the Paralympic Games are a great way for those with physical and visual disabilities to shine and prove their athletic greatness.

For more information about the Paralympic movement, please refer to the following websites:

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The Physical Therapy Resource

This article is brought to you by 1800wheelchair; we offer lift chairs, hospital beds, & safe patient handling.

Physical therapy is a discipline that focuses on helping people develop strength and regain function of the limbs and muscles of their bodies. A patient’s need for physical therapy evolves from factors such as an injury, debilitating illness, or advancing age. Physical therapists work with patients in many settings as a form of rehabilitation. Also known as physiotherapy, physical therapy is employed in several environments, including hospitals, nursing homes, and private offices. The goal of physical therapy is to establish or maintain function for people who have lost some abilities, and thereby improve their quality of life.

Background and History

 

Education and Training

Types of Physical Therapy

Forums and Mailing Lists

Medical Sites and Medical Journals

Research

  • Physical Therapy Research: A site that contains links to recent research studies in the field of physical therapy.
  • The Kessler Foundation: The homepage for the organization dedicated to research for disability and physical therapy care.

Additional Resources

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