Page 22 - Mobility Management, October 2018

ATP Series
Measuring a Power Chair
“Seat-to-floor height is among the most vital measurements,” Smith said, noting its impact on both positioning and ADLs. “Seat-to-floor height is measured at the front and rear of the seat pan, noting the distance from the floor to the seat pan. This determines not just seat-to-floor height, but also posterior and anterior seat angle, if varied for positioning. Although seat-to-floor height is sometimes influ- enced by a client’s height, such as a very
tall user, it’s typically based on transfer height needs and environmental access. Fortunately, with more common use of power-elevating seating, which results in power adjustable seat height, clients now often have a low seat-to-floor height in, say, the 17.5" range, and can elevate up from there for taller transfers and envi- ronmental access, dramatically increasing functionality.”
That range of heights is important, as
many common environments require lower seat-to-floor heights, King noted.
“If you have an accessible vehicle,” he explained, “you need to be able to access the steering wheel without hitting your legs. If you don’t want to have to change [the user’s] whole work setting or have the school need to purchase a different kind of desk for the end user, you can order
a shorter seat-to-floor height to accom- modate their current environment as
How Power Wheelchair Measurements & Drive Wheel Choice Are Related
Make a drive-wheel choice — front, mid or rear — for a power wheelchair, and you’re simultaneously making a choice regarding power base measurements. For example, rear-wheel-drive power chairs have traditionally had longer wheelbases, which translates into needing more room to turn. A larger turning radius can mean tougher maneuvering in smaller or narrower spaces, such as elevators, hallways and homes.
Of course, a power base is far more than its turning radius, and a turning radius is only one part
of the decision-making process.
“The selection of drive-wheel
placement on complex rehab
power chairs,” said Ayron King,
ATP, Power Sales Specialist,
Sunrise Medical, “is a decision
that entails many factors that
need to be considered during the
evaluation and home assessment
stages of the funding cycle. The
common known facts to eval-
uate include access in the home,
community, van or transportation,
along with school and/or work-
place environment. Whether it’s
front-, mid-, hybrid-, or rear-wheel
drive, there are many benefits and differences for each selection.”
Front-wheel drive, King said, “allows for the drive wheel to be the first point of contact with obstacles, rather than a caster wheel that relies on the drive wheels to track straight over thresholds. Front-wheel drive should also be the first consideration when it comes to bariatric power wheelchair end users due to center of gravity. The home environment should be an open-concept floor plan, along with access to bedrooms, bathrooms and other rooms that they are required to access.”
Today’s popularity of mid-wheel-drive power chairs can
be equated, King said, to “indoor accessibility, turning radius capabilities, cognition in relation to space, and the requirement of all-day access for tight spaces in and out of the home. Today’s
recent suspension upgrades have made mid-wheel-drive chairs capable of handling outdoor terrain much better than in the past. Before recent upgrades to mid-wheel-drive designs, road vibra- tion was significantly more harsh to this platform than to front- wheel drive designs due to drive wheel impact placement.”
Hybrid/rear-wheel-drive power chairs — the “hybrid” tag in recognition of the fact that today’s drive wheel is typically not as rearward as it has been in the past — is admittedly not the most
popular choice, but its fans tend to be loyal. The configuration has “a special place in the complex rehab technology industry,”
King noted. “Rear-wheel-drive power wheelchairs typically meet the needs for end users who require and enjoy full power coming from the back portion of the frame. Active outdoor users typically need the climbing and suspension capabilities these chairs can provide. A rear-wheel- drive power chair requires a larger turning radius, awareness of surroundings, and open floor plans for everyday use.”
King said consumers absolutely get used to and get attached to their power chair’s drive configuration — and making a change after a number of years in one configuration can be tricky.
“My rule of thumb is to stick with what they’ve had,” he said. “I’ve talked a few people into [changing configurations]. We haven’t had great outcomes, and then they’re stuck for five years. So if you’re going to change them, the most important thing is doing appropriate trials in all their environments and making sure they can access everywhere they go.
“If they can’t access one thing that they’re accustomed to doing every day, it’s going to [result in] a chair return. It’s not going to be a good outcome for them, and that’s why the trials are so important.” m
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