{"id":8327,"date":"2020-10-01T16:50:42","date_gmt":"2020-10-01T11:50:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.newmobility.com\/?p=28028"},"modified":"2020-10-01T16:50:42","modified_gmt":"2020-10-01T11:50:42","slug":"embracing-power","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wheelchair-experts.in\/embracing-power\/","title":{"rendered":"Embracing Power"},"content":{"rendered":"

An X-ray revealed that LeBrecht had a rotator cuff muscle tear in his shoulder, a common injury for manual wheelchair users. \u201cI was thinking that the longer I use my shoulders and arms as much as possible, the better shape I\u2019ll be in,\u201d says LeBrecht. But he did lasting damage each time he hurt his shoulder, even though he thought he had recovered. He was unwilling to undergo surgery, given the months of absolute dependency and danger of pressure sores it would entail. \u201cThe risks of the recovery process and the percentage chance of it really taking were just not good enough,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

The only answer remaining was a move to power. LeBrecht came to appreciate the benefits of a power chair over a manual one, especially since he lives in a hilly neighborhood in Berkeley, California. \u201cI just couldn\u2019t go out in my neighborhood in a manual chair,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Energy Preservation<\/h2>\n
\"Switching<\/a><\/p>\n

Switching to a power chair gave Phil Pangrazio more energy for work.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The switch to power is not always about accommodating an injury. For Phil Pangrazio, CEO of Ability 360 in Phoenix, Arizona, it had everything to do with preserving his energy. Injured in 1979 at C6-7, Pangrazio used a manual chair until 2005, when the pace of his work made it hard to get through a busy day without being seriously fatigued. \u201cI knew if I was going to keep doing what I was doing that I needed my energy,\u201d he says. He admits that not using a power chair was a matter of pride. \u201cIf you\u2019re in that \u2018super quad\u2019 category like me, where you\u2019ve got enough physical ability to push a manual wheelchair, you\u2019re going to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Using a power chair instead was also a matter of comfort. \u201cIt is just easier to sit in a power chair all day long than in a manual,\u201d he says.  Manuals are primarily designed for mobility, as upright posture and firm contact with the back of the chair is key to being able to make the most of your available strength and balance. A tradeoff of efficiency over comfort has to be made with a manual chair.<\/p>\n

The power chair can have a more reclined back, which supports your upper body weight, making you more comfortable. And given that an adjustable reclining feature is common to many models, you get more control over what feels best over the course of a day. You feel more stable and secure.<\/p>\n

The Price of Power<\/h2>\n

There\u2019s a learning curve when you switch to power. The added weight and extra speed of a power chair have to be considered in ways that are not the case with a manual.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy banged up walls and cabinets could tell the story,\u201d says Kunze. And LeBrecht actually broke an elderly woman\u2019s toe when she stepped into his path of travel \u2014 but he grants that he could have been going slower.<\/p>\n

LeBrecht learned about a Permobil C300 with tilt and elevation available from a family who had lost a member to ALS. He paid just $1,500 for it. But most people are likely to get caught in a very long process of selecting a chair, waiting for delivery and then paying out of pocket for a good share of it.<\/p>\n

He got lucky, as the cost of a power chair can be steep, commonly in the tens of thousands, and often wheelchair users have to fight with insurers. To increase your chance of winning those battles, try to find a seating professional and provider willing to advocate for you. And, of course, you need to be sure that the provider you work with is in your funder\u2019s network.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s an unfortunate fact that a lot of wheelchair options don\u2019t have insurance codes, which means they have to be paid for out of pocket. As you work through the options on the order forms, be sure you know exactly what a feature will cost you. If it\u2019s important enough to you, you may have to pay for it yourself. Things like specialized chair backs, for instance, with ergonomic adjustment, lumbar support and so on, might be something you will have to choose to fight for, pay for, or just pass on.<\/p>\n

So there are upsides and downsides to power. The perks include greater mobility, more comfort and even more flexibility in parking. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter if I have to park three blocks away downtown for a meeting. Boom. I\u2019m over there with the power chair,\u201d says Pangrazio.<\/p>\n

But using power means if you don\u2019t already have an adapted van, you\u2019ll probably have to get one. Van conversions are expensive and hard to get funded outside of Voc Rehab, but you may be able to find a deal on a used lift-equipped van (see Tips for Buying a Used Wheelchair Van<\/a>, November 2018).<\/p>\n

Lastly, keeping that manual chair around is a common strategy. You might still be able get around the house in it, and if your power chair breaks down, you\u2019ll have a handy back-up.<\/p>\n

** This post was originally published on https:\/\/www.newmobility.com\/2020\/10\/embracing-power\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An X-ray revealed that LeBrecht had a rotator cuff muscle tear in his shoulder, a common injury for manual wheelchair users. \u201cI was thinking that the longer I use my<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[264,267],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nEmbracing Power » : Wheelchair Experts\u00ae (Buy Wheelchairs Online in India)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/wheelchair-experts.in\/embracing-power\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Embracing Power » : Wheelchair Experts\u00ae (Buy Wheelchairs Online in India)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"An X-ray revealed that LeBrecht had 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