WHEELCHAIR "ARMS" RACE

Wheelchair “Arms”-Race

The “Arms”-Race is on again but not involving the world’s major powers except in the “wheel-chair” division. This “race” is based upon the many options and choices involved in selecting the kind of arms (non-lethal) that best suit the user; i.e., folding, desk-length, full-length, canti-levered, “flip-up”, “swing-away”, fixed, single-post, dual-post, etc., to name a few.

Learning the basics of wheelchair armrests can improve your comfort, functionality and convenience in addition to improving the satisfaction with your wheelchair-life. Many active users believe that armrests are non-functional and are always in the way, interfering with the user’s ability to sit at tables and desks. In addition, they do not want any additional feature to increase the chair’s weight. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Armrests are not only functional but increase the flexibility and comfort of the chair by at least a hundred percent making their usage invaluable. They allow you to rest your arms at a height that is higher than your lap. When you place your arms on the rests, you take the “pull-of-gravity” off your arms and shoulders. The extra weight of your arms, without the rests might actually pull you forward causing a slouched (sacral) posture. With the weight of your arms resting on these rests, you are able to straighten your spine and sit in a more-upright, vertical position.

Armrests are also used to support desk-and-feeding trays as well as one-sided arm supports. They exist in a great variety of types and styles such as those that can “flip-up”, be removed, “swing-away” as well as remain in a fixed-position. While available in various lengths, the inexpensive chairs do not offer this option and might have only a fixed-height, making it non-removable and that may interfere with transfers, in addition to not being at a height to provide optimal arm-support. For instance, if they are too low, it will encourage your body to lean for-ward. If they are too high, you might have to raise your shoulders just to get your arms on the rests and might “dig” into your armpits.

Some options based on arm-rest choices are:

1)      Fixed: These are bolted or welded to the frame of the wheelchair.

2)      Dual Post: These have two vertical tubes that insert into the side frame of the wheelchair.

3)      Single Post/T-Arm: These have one vertical tube that inserts into the side frame. It offers more clearance for coming up to a table but is slightly less stable than the dual-post arm-rests.

4)      Flip-Down/Cantilever: Rather than attaching to the side frame, the rest attaches to the back, up-right canes and can be flipped upward to allow clearance.

5)      “Swing-Away”: Just as it says, it “swings-away”, out-of-the-way.

6)      Desk-Length, Full-Length: Desk-length – 10 inches. Full-Length – 14 inches. Desk-length arms are easier to pull-up to a table or a desk while full-length arms provide more support while resting your arms on the rests, themselves.

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The styles include:

a)      Full Length, Fixed, Removable Rests: These have a fixed height and provide arm support from the back to the front of the seat.

b)      Full Length, Adjustable, Removable Rests: These are adjustable in height, usually with a push-pin, and provide support from the back to the front of the seat. They e often recommended if a lap tray is being used because of the stability of a long, arm-support and adjustable in height to get the tray in the optimal position.

c)      Desk Length, Fixed, Removable Arm-Rest: These have a fixed height and provide arm support from the back to three-fourths of the seat.

d)      Desk Length, Adjustable Height Removable Arm-Rest: With these, you have the ability to adjust height and have arm support from the back of the chair to three-fourths of the seat. This allows the chair to go under a table or up to a desk.

e)      Space-Saver Arm: These curve inward to bring the front of the armrest closer to the body.

f)        Tubular: These are usually “flip-down” with hardware on the rear uprights or curve downward and attach to a receptacle behind the seat of the chair. These can be ordered with a rolled padding or an upholstered and padded version. Adjustments can be made dependent on the kind of attachment-hardware that has been installed.

g)      “Swing-Away” Arm-Rests: These swing to the side or back behind the wheelchair to allow for transfers or easier clearances.

Pads can be attached of upholstered, hard plastic or a “self-skinned-foam” composite material. The non-padded, upholstered pads might be a better choice if a tray is going to be added so that the tray will not rip or endanger the padding.

Remember: Quoting an old, 1592 proverb, “To be fore-warned is to be fore-armed”, (not four-armed) and not emphasizing the word, “forearm”, that exists between the elbow and the wrist. Thus, the purpose of this article is to be “Fore-Warned”, beforehand.

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