Padded Protection ~ leg rest

[zwthomp]

Anyone know of any padded protection that attaches the the U or V going to the footrest? I used to use Aductor wedges but changed to a different cushion and the cushion does not bend so the wedges don't do anything. I have HO in my hips and it pushes my legs against my frame and causes to much pressure.
Thanks in Advanced!

[zwthomp]

anyone?

[gjnl]

Hi "zwthomp,"

When I initially read your thread yesterday, I must say, I just wasn't sure what you were talking about. May be you could be more specific about where the pressure is exactly...just having trouble visualizing your problem. Maybe a picture of your legs while you are sitting in the chair would help us see the problem. Make/model of chair?

All the best,
GJ

[zwthomp]

This is how I weight myself!! 1) 2 scales, one for each side, $29.99 2) Sending a text to the people who would get a kick out of seeing this, $3.00 3) Having everyone watch me to figure how much I weight at Walmart, PRICELESS!

The pressure there is on both my right and left leg. On the side of my shin and on the side of my calf muscle. At the end of the day they are pretty damn red and sometimes purple but thankfully no skin breakdown! Hopefully the picture will help!

[gjnl]

Dear "zwthomp,"
As they say, a picture is worth a 1000 words.

First, I don't think you are positioned in your chair properly. Either you need to get a higher profile cushion (and possibly deeper-back to front) or lower your footrests (or maybe some combination of both). It appears to me that you are sitting without cushion support under your lower thighs which is allowing your knees to splay. Also, your knees appear to be higher than your rear. If you footrest is too high your knees will flop apart. When you put your hands on the outside of your knees and push in and release, do your knees move (or flop) together and apart easily. That said, you probably should see a seating specialist to help solve the root of the problem.

You said that you used to use knee abductors until you changed cushions. Cushion abductors are not usually as strong as you might need to correct to positioning problems. I think that approach is a band-aid not a solution. If you can't lower your footrests or raise your cushion or the profile of the cushion, here is an idea that requires that you add some hardware to the chair and you may or may not like that idea, but....
http://www.therafin.com/flipdownkneeadductor.htm

Personally, I would go back to whomever sold/fitted you in the chair and discuss options for getting you positioned right in the first place.

All the best
GJ

[SCIfor55yrs.]

I think GJ is on target. I used to go through that experience every time I got a new wheelchair. If your legs are pushed up, it causes the knees to spread out. I put my footrest at the lowest possible point and work upward. I like to end up with just enough pressure on the footrest to keep my feet on it. If the footrest could not be set low enough, I raised the cushion height by placing a thin foam cushion under what I was using. I have not had to do than for many years because if the chair is properly sized to begin with, footrest adjustment should be all that is needed.

[SCI_OTR]

If you have HO there may be more at play than your pic reveals. Falcon sells some decent gel wraps...

http://www.falconrehab.net/OrderForms/GPig8-09.pdf

See Item LPW or PTW8

[gjnl]

Originally Posted by SCI_OTR

If you have HO there may be more at play than your pic reveals. Falcon sells some decent gel wraps...

http://www.falconrehab.net/OrderForms/GPig8-09.pdf

See Item LPW or PTW8

What is HO? A quick google search reveals a couple of orthopaedic conditions:
1. HO stands for Heterotopic Ossification (orthopedics)
Heterotopic ossification (HO) is the development of bone in abnormal areas, usually in soft tissues. Heterotopic ossification develops most commonly in individuals who have an injury, such as spinal cord injury, that results in neurologic deficits. It is therefore referred to as neurogenic heterotopic ossification. The incidence rate of heterotopic ossification in individuals with spinal cord injury is approximately 16 to 53 percent.
2. HO means Hip Orthotic

I'm guessing that "zwthomp" is referring to meaning 1. How does this condition manifest itself with proper seating and positioning? Just a question out of curiosity....not a challenge.

All the best,
GJ