Blog
What is Good About a Tilting Wheelchair?
First of all, thank you for taking the time to check out our new blog section on our website. I had been pondering what to write about all week, and then just like that, I was asked a question at a recent handover appointment.
What is good about a tilting wheelchair?
My response was simply that there are lots of benefits to using a tilt-in-space wheelchair for the right person. I wanted to share some of the key advantages of a tilting wheelchair in more detail as this question has been put to me as a therapist on many occasions throughout my career. A well-prescribed tilt-in-space manual wheelchair provides enhanced comfort, functionality, and overall user well-being in my experience.
Overall, tilt-in-space wheelchairs can have many health benefits, both physical and psychological. The comfort provided from the tilt-in-space wheelchair can enable the user to engage in daily living activities as opposed to being uncomfortable in a standard type of wheelchair.
Key advantages
-
Pressure relief
Tilting helps redistribute pressure from the lower body, reducing risk of pressure sores/ulcers.
-
Improved posture
Supports better alignment and stability for those with reduced sitting balance.
-
Comfort
Enables more comfortable positioning, helpful for back or muscle pain.
-
Better digestion
May reduce abdominal pressure and improve comfort during meals and activities.
-
Increased stability
Helpful for limited trunk control, reducing effort needed to maintain balance.
-
Assists with transfers
Can help carers by shifting weight and improving positioning during transfers.
-
More versatile positioning
Encourages movement and reduces stiffness by allowing position changes through the day.
-
Reduced shear and friction
Tilt can reduce shear forces on skin for those at risk of skin breakdown.