______________________________________________________________________________________________
Issue_H November 2013 7 Dash Life
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 such as push
handles and armrests 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.
The action of a brake shoe pressing on the tyre makes
correct inflation pressure important.
Cable operated attendant brakes are an option
available for mounting on the push handles to allow the
attendant to control the chair without having to reach
down for the hand brake handle. These may also
provide the attendant with a means of controlling the
speed of a wheelchair when going downhill, and are a
safety improvement on slopes and undulating terrain,
as described in Technical Information Manual (Part B).
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 and the tyre while in the
brake is in the off position. Tighten and secure to
10ft/lbs ensuring tyre is central to the brake shoe.
Images showing extending brake handle
Fig 6
– Going down a kerb
Start position
