Exercises for People in Manual Wheelchairs

If you’re living with limited mobility and have been instructed by your physician to get exercise, you may be thinking “yeah right!”

Even though just thinking about exercising may seem exhausting it truly is beneficial to you staying healthy and in the best possible shape you can be in. In terms of exercise, we’re not talking about weight lifting or kick boxing, just simple aerobic exercise can make a huge difference on your health. Aerobic exercise increases your oxygen intake and strengthens your heart and lungs. If you use a manual wheelchair, aerobic exercise can increase upper body strength and stamina.

Here are few aerobic exercises that manual wheelchair users can truly benefit from:
•    Stretching. Simple arm stretches can keep blood flowing properly in your limbs and increase joint flexibility. Try some yoga sun salutations. This involves slowly raising your arms above you head, while keeping them should width apart while stretching your neck and back and breathing deeply.

•    Sitting push-ups. By raising yourself in your chair in sets, you are giving your upper body a really great workout while keeping your cardiovascular endurance up. In addition you're reliving pressure on your lower extremities by distributing muscle mass.

Standing Counts as Exercise!

Last week I wrote about bariatrics, so it follows that this week I’m writing about exercise. It’s long been known that exercise contributes to general wellness. But exactly how and what kind has been undetermined. The body’s goal is to maintain a homeostasis. Recent studies show that moderate-vigorous exercise can increase appetite, which may be good for those undergoing intense chemotherapy or other procedures that can have negative effects on body weight, but is bad news for the heavier crowd.

In burning lots of calories, more calories need to be consumed. This can be bad news for larger people, who exercise with the intent of losing weight. New studies show, however, that low intensity exercise like walking, and even standing can burn energy on a level that doesn’t trigger metabolic action. The basic idea is, avoid a sedentary lifestyle for better overall health. Whether it’s losing weight or staying in shape, walking and standing can keep you healthy and happy.

If you have trouble standing or walking on your own, there are certain items designed to help. Manual wheelchairs, knee walkers, rolling walkers, and even a rolling walker with seat are all great ways to ambulate and burn energy. Standing with the help of rolling walkers, is in itself a great way to exercise. So don't feel the burden to get up and run, just get up!

Products for Large and Small, Top Notch Has Them All

Bariatrics is a field that deals with obesity. It encompasses dieting, exercise, and pharmacotherapy. While much obesity is genetic, other cases of it are due to poor diet. It may be difficult for many people to lsoe weight on their own, however, and this problem is increased by a lack of mobility. Studies have shown that a positive outlook can be very beneficial to helping one lose weight. The road to recovery can be difficult since many ordinary sized beds and chairs do not fit the obese, but Top Notch Care has a special bariatric line.

Bariatric beds, a commode chair and bath aids, as well as bariatric mobility enhancing products like powerchairs, rolling walkers and canes are all available online. There are also a variety of manual wheelchairs from which to choose.

Pediatrics is another line that Top Notch Care supplies. Children that have difficulty walking are especially important to aide. With manual wheelchairs, rolling walkers and standers, your child will be safer and more mobile. Our variety is unparalleled, and will allow for greater ease in transportation and storage of a walker.

For big and small, Top Notch Care has products that assist everyone. From bariatrics to pediatrics, we have all kinds of rolling walkers and manual wheelchairs.

Mobility Increasing Products

The bathroom can be a dangerous place for those with limited mobility. The tiles or flat tub of a shower can be slippery and if there isn’t a guard rail, a fall can be devastating. The toilet itself can be difficult to use also, especially those toilets that are away from aiding countertops and sinks.

A commode chair is a great companion for the bathroom, whether in the shower, or for toilet help. It is rust resistant, lightweight and foldable, making it easy to store and transport.

Rolling walkers are also of great help, especially a rolling walker with seat. Standing on your legs can be tiresome and the option of sitting down is a great one to have.

Knee walkers are also a big help in the home. Those with a small cart attached are perfect for transporting small groceries and increasing mobility. Walking around, even if it is with the help of a rolling walker with seat, or a commode chair, increases self-reliance and general health.

Nothing is worse for one’s health than lying in bed, or stationary sitting all day. The sedentary lifestyle does not promote heart rate and fosters weakness in limbs and muscles. So get a rolling walker with seat today!

A View From Afar

I’ve got to be honest. I know some of you may think that I’m sick, that I should enjoy being mobile while I can, but seriously, enough of disclaimers: I really admire power wheelchairs. I mean manual wheelchairs are great and all, but for those folks who have difficulty with upper body strength and are in no shape to walk around, those power wheelchairs are pretty, pretty sweet.

I can just imagine it: wind blowing along my scalp, weaving in between pedestrians, maybe even cruising in the bike lane because, let’s face it, when your moving at 10 miles per hour or faster you can’t have old folks with knee walkers and rolling walkers or young whippersnappers with backpacks getting in your way. If you want mobility, and I mean real mobility, then power wheelchairs are the only way to go.

It’s not that I don’t value my own legs; believe me, I do. It’s just that if I am ever at the point where I need a manual wheelchair, I will decline it in favor of a fast moving power wheelchair. That is my ideal way to get around when I am enjoying my golden years.

About the Commode Chair

If you have a loved one who has been in a debilitating accident or is confined to a wheelchair because of a medical condition, you may want to invest in a commode chair. A commode chair is a wheelchair device that has a foot rest and arm rests, along with an open toilet compartment below the seat to facilitate the bathroom process for someone who doesn’t have the ability to get there efficiently.

There are also shower commodes that are constructed of waterproof material that allows the individual to be wheeled into the shower and washed thoroughly, without running the risk of any kind of leakage on the wheelchair. Some shower commode chairs also have the ability to recline, allowing shampoo to be easily rinsed from the individual’s hair. Commode chairs are a comfortable option for individuals confined to the wheelchairs because the toilet seat is padded and they are extremely durable. Generally, they are constructed from fiberglass and/or stainless steel, giving them their strength and waterproof characteristics.  Commode chairs are a highly viable alternative to the bed pan because they’re easier to remove and clean. Because the user can sit rather than lay in a bed, using the restroom in their commode chair is a much better option for the user and the caretaker.

Difference Between Mobility Scooters and Power Wheelchairs

We live in a technologically advanced world these days and there have been many improvements and upgrades in every industry, including wheelchairs. We’ve come a long way from manual wheelchairs and rolling walkers.

Although those items are still beneficial to many people, mobility scooters and power wheelchairs have opened so many doors for so many people and allowed them to go further than they ever have, with less effort. Although they are often used interchangeably, mobility scooters and power wheel chairs are two very different products. Here’s a brief overview of how mobility scooters differ from power wheel chairs.

Mobility scooters are very similar to power wheelchairs, but they differ in one integral way. Scooters generally have a steering bar and require a bit more upper body strength as you have to use your arms and shoulders to turn corners and steer. Power wheel chairs have a joystick that can be easily used, regardless of how strong the user is. In addition power wheelchairs often tilt, recline, have leg elevation, seat elevation, and other handy setting for those with disabilities.