How to Select a Dependent Mobility Device: Identifying Needs 17/01/2022 When reviewing the intake information of a new patient, it is common for one of the first questions the evaluating team seeks to answer is, "Will the client need a manual wheelchair or a power wheelchair?" Depending on a number of factors such as age and diagnosis, determining a suitable mobility solution prior to seeing the patient in person for the first time can be relatively cut-and-dry. However, determining manual versus power isn't as straightforward when the individual presents with diagnoses such as a developmental disorder, severe cognitive impairments, intellectual disabilities, etc., in addition to their orthopedic impairments. In these cases, the team will likely need to shift the initial focus to answering the question, "With the proper components, setup, and training, does the client exhibit the potential to be independent with mobility or is a dependent mobility device more appropriate?"This two-part blog series will focus on identifying when a dependent mobility device is appropriate and tips for selecting the best style of dependent mobility base. Keep Reading
A Clinical Perspective on Power Seat Elevate 16/12/2021 As technology and design continues to develop, wheelchairs and power seat options have also evolved. Whilst it can be tempting to order a power wheelchair with every option available, it is important as a clinician to understand what the clinical benefits of each power seat function are in order to ensure appropriate scripting and justification – especially when funding is being sorted. Keep Reading
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
