______________________________________________________________________________________________
Issue_B November 2015 8 Dash Stowaway
6.4 PUSHING TECHNIQUES
Pushing a wheelchair with a helpful occupant can be an
enjoyment for both people involved provided that there
is mutual confidence and understanding.
When first planning a trip, the pusher should check the
distance and terrain to be covered, bearing in mind that
a slope going out is a hill coming back. A combination
of slope and camber is common in many areas. Try the
chair out on typical surface conditions nearby, and
practice manoeuvres likely to be encountered on a
longer trip.
The pusher should be familiar with the operation of the
wheelchair, remembering to put the brakes on and
steady the chair before the occupant gets in and out.
Where applicable, detachable features should be
checked for security before setting out on a journey.
The occupant should not be rushed during transferring
in and out of the chair.
Before setting off, the pusher should make sure that the
occupant is comfortable and that clothes, rugs, covers
etc do not catch in the wheels or interfere with the
general workings of the wheelchair.
The pusher should walk at a sensible speed, and tell
the occupant before changing position, tipping the chair
or manoeuvring, also paying attention to the surface
conditions and avoiding uneven or soft ground
wherever possible.
The pusher should always maintain a firm grip on the
push handles. The chair should not be jolted or jarred,
or rocked like a pram.
See figs 4 & 5.
Shopping bags or other additional heavy loads
should not be carried in a wheelchair unless
specifically designed for the purpose. This
particularly applies to hanging items over the
push handles, which can overload the chair
and affect stability resulting in injury if the
occupant tips out of the chair when it is left
unattended momentarily.
Fig 3
– Side Transfer
Fig 4
– Maintain a firm
grip on the push handles
Fig 5
– Attendant Control
6.3 BRAKES
Hand brakes are provided for preventing wheel
movement when parked, particularly on a slope, or
during occupant transfer to and from the wheelchair.
Operating the wheelchair in this way however,
demands that the attendant is skilled in the controlling
operation, as a sudden change in direction will result if
one wheel is retarded in advance of the other.
Brake adjustment
— Loosen sideframe brake bracket
clamp, and drop brake sub assembly until there is a
5mm gap between the brake while in the off position
and tyre. Tighten and secure to 10ft/lbs ensuring brake
shoe is central to the tyre.
Images showing extending brake handle
Fig 6
– Going down a kerb
Start position
