Creating a Postural Management Plan to Support a Neutral Pelvis 30/09/2021 For many therapists, it is incredibly frustrating when, after providing a productive therapy session, we set up a child with non-typical development in "optimal" seated posture only to find shortly after that the child looks nothing like how they were first positioned. We slowly notice that the pelvis begins to posterior tilt, the child slides forward in their seat, the trunk starts to round out (causing thoracic kyphosis), the cervical spine is hyperextended, and the chin pokes forward. Eventually, the child's caregiver or teacher brings the child back to therapy and asks us, the therapists, to "fix" the seating system. Keep Reading
The Role of the Pelvis in a Postural Management Plan 13/09/2021 24-hour postural management is a planned program that considers all relevant positions a child uses throughout the day and intervenes to improve or maintain body shape while promoting the child's functional development. A postural management plan tries to incorporate a neutral body position into the three core postural orientations of lying, sitting, and standing. However, we know that the role of the pelvis is significant to creating these positions and deserves our full attention when we are attempting to incorporate positioning strategies into the child's activities, from bathing to floor play to upright movement. Keep Reading
Rigid Frame Wheelchairs: Turning Energy into Motion 10/09/2021 Rigid frame wheelchairs are ideal for transferring energy into motion. When prescribed appropriately, a rigid frame wheelchair helps to provide a more efficient mobility solution. This blog will review the definition of a rigid frame and discuss the factors in a rigid wheelchair that contribute to optimizing movement and performance for an end-user. Keep Reading
Standing Powered Wheelchair Evaluation: Considering All of the Client's Goals 23/04/2021 It's easy to look at power wheelchairs with a standing function and be amazed by the technology. After all, the opportunities an independent, mobile standing position can offer a client, from functional, clinical, and social emotional standpoints, can be life-changing. But we must also consider what our clients need the PWC to do when it isn't standing, and how postural needs change between standing and sitting. Keep Reading
The Importance of Power Wheelchair Base Dimensions and Turning Radius 23/03/2021 When the first mid wheel drive (MWD) power wheelchair was made available to wheelchair users, it revolutionized the world of power mobility. I can still recall the first in-service I attended on a MWD powerchair back in 2001 while working with pediatric clients in Washington, D.C. At that time, the MWD technology was still relatively new. My clients typically lived in small row homes or apartment buildings with tiny elevators where turning radius and maneuverability were essential. Providing a powerchair option with a small turning radius and more intuitive drive allowed for more individuals to seriously consider power mobility as an option for independent mobility. Keep Reading
