Standing Wheelchairs Information and Reviews
A standing wheelchair is a type of assistive technology, similar to a standing frame, that allows a wheelchair user to raise the chair from a seated to a standing position. The standing wheelchair supports the person in an upright or standing position and enables interaction with people and objects at eye level.
Standing wheelchairs are used by people with either paraplegia and quadriplegia as a variety of different standing options are available to accommodate persons with mild to severe disabilities including: spinal cord injury, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, stroke, rett syndrome, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, post-polio syndrome and more.
Standing wheelchairs can be either manually or power-operated, and are used both to achieve regular mobility and to stand the person up using hydraulics or other power sources.
Some standing wheelchairs may be driven from the standing position, however there is some medical concern of an increased risk of long bone fractures while driving due to the legs being under a heavy load.
Types of standing wheelchairs include:
* Manual - Chair mobility and lifting mechanisms are not powered.
* Half-power - Chair features powered mobility but manual lifting mechanisms.
* Full-power - Chair features powered mobility and hydraulic or otherwise powered lifting mechanisms.
It is possible Medicare or your countries similiar Government agency may help fund some of the cost of a standing wheelchair, in the U.S. Medicaid funding varies from state-to-state, check with your local Medicare office for assistance and further information. In addition today insurance companies, vocational rehabilitation organizations, and medical case managers are increasingly funding standing wheelchairs because of the long-term health and quality of life benefits that come from passive standing.
Articles
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- Standing Wheelchair Demonstration - Demonstration video of the use of a standing wheelchair and how it allows a person to be more independent.
