12
MOONLITE
ENGLISH
Getting up and down kerbs
This should only be attempted when a carer or attendant
are controlling the wheelchair .
Carers/attendants should bear in mind that they will be
supporting more of the user’s weight when the wheelchair
is tipped rearwards and the heavier the user the more
weight they will have to support . If there is any doubt that
this cannot be supported then seek dropped kerbs or
ramps and do not put the user or yourself at risk of injury .
The wheelchair should never be tipped
forwards as the occupant may fall out.
Getting up a kerb (Fig. 15)
First method:
• The wheelchair footplates (or, if
longer, the user’s feet) should be
taken to the edge of the kerb;
• The attendant should hold the
wheelchair push handles firmly
and tilt the chair back, use one
foot on the tipping lever to assist
and carefully tilt the wheelchair
backwards
• The wheelchair should be
brought forward until the back of
the wheels touch the kerb;
• The front wheels should be lowered down on the path;
• With the push handles held firmly the attendant should
lift and push the wheelchair forward .
Second method (Fig . 15a) :
• The wheelchair should be turned
around so that the back wheels
are against the kerb;
• The attendant should hold the
wheelchair push handles firmly
and push down with one foot
on the tipping lever, tipping
the wheelchair backwards
balancing it on the large wheels;
• Using his body weight, he
should then pull the wheelchair
off the kerb and up onto the pavement .
Getting down a kerb (Fig. 16)
• The wheelchair castors should be
taken to the edge of the kerb .
• The attendant should hold the
wheelchair push handles firmly
and push down with one foot
on the tipping lever, tipping the
wheelchair backwards balancing
it on the large wheels .
• The large wheels should be taken
to the edge of the kerb .
• The wheelchair should be lowered slowly down the
kerb on its back wheels before the castors are lowered
gently down onto the ground .
The wheelchair should never be tipped
forwards as the occupant may fall out.
Going down a steep slope (Fig. 17)
The use of the wheelchair on slopes greater
than the maximum recommended may put the
user at risk. If such slopes are unavoidable
then:
• It is safer for the attendant
to take the wheelchair down
backwards .
• The occupant may be able to
help by controlling the wheels
or the brakes .
• The user weight will have a
significant effect on controlling
the wheelchair – the heavier
the user the more difficult it will be to control the
wheelchair .
Refer to Section 2 .2 for the Maximum safe slope that this
wheelchair can be used on .
5.4 Wheelchair stability
Certain routines and movements may affect the stability
of the wheelchair .
The following factors can affect the wheelchair
stability:
User body movement
REACHING - BENDING FORWARD
DO NOT lean your body forward out of the
wheelchair further than the length of the
armrests as this may affect your stability .
DO NOT attempt to pick up objects from the
floor or to reach out at switches by bending
forward or reaching between your knees as
this may affect your stability .
DO NOT attempt to reach objects by sliding
forward to the edge of the wheelchair seat as
this may affect your stability .
Leaning forwards when going up slopes can
improve the rearwards stability and leaning the
upper body uphill when moving across a slope
can improve sideways stability .
Fig. 15
Fig. 15a
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
