Like any medical device, even a well-designed wheelchair must be properly fit to the rider by a trained care provider. Even a low-tech wheelchair requires a knowledgeable person to ensure the chair is fitted to the rider’s body size and adjusted properly to provide critical postural support. .Secondary injury from a poorly fitted or broken wheelchair is a serious concern. New spinal deformities can arise from long hours seated in a chair which does not support the contour of the spine. Joint problems can result from poor ergonomics which can leave the rider unable to move independently. Also, new limb distortions often result from ill-fitting chairs. Chairs without the strength to hold their shape in rough conditions drastically increase the frequency of these secondary injuries. Whirlwind provides a wheelchair service delivery manual, staff, referrals to local partners, multiple widths and back support heights, along with a user’s manual to guide the chair provider to the correct fit of chair to chair user.
Safety in Cushions
A wheelchair provided without a cushion is really only half a chair. Wheelchairs without seat cushions can cause open pressure sores on the skin which are opportunities for life threatening infections. Recovering from a pressure sore sometimes requires months of bed rest. Without FDA or similar government regulators, developing world riders are not protected by medical devices standards. To address this concern in 2009, we released a new pressure relief cushion design into the public domain so that anyone who needs a cushion can make one.
Safety in Stability
Tipping forward is the most common cause of injury for riders in the US. Poor or unpaved roads in developing countries make the problem worse. Whirlwind takes safety very seriously. Our ultra-stable long wheel base design almost eliminates the tipping forward risk, even while rolling off of curbs without ramps.
