Wheelchair Armrests and Your Safety

Disabled individuals are often the most disadvantaged group in the society. Although there are laws that requires establishments to apply the necessary adjustment to accommodate these disabled individuals there are still some who neglect to provide the appropriate modification. Nevertheless, throughout the years disabled people have come to adjust to their surroundings and have been given better opportunity.
Most disabled individuals especially those who have paralyzed legs or spinal cord uses wheelchair. A wheelchair has many different parts and functions. For one, the armrest is used as a resting place of the arm and used for support and stability. Oftentimes the armrest is one of the taken for granted parts of a wheelchair. But one cannot deny the fact that the armrest functions more than a support for the arm. It helps restrain a person in the wheelchair, it helps stabilize a person in sudden stops and help in stabilizing a person when picking up something from the floor. When the weight of your arm is resting on the armrest, chances are you might be able to straighten your spine and sit more comfortably.
It’s true that armrests can interfere with your wheeling especially to those persons who have shorter arms. It can hinder you from reaching something on the floor or on the table. Nevertheless, armrests are usually removable so you do not need to use them all the time. In fact many users of wheelchair buy armrests and use them only when necessary. Additionally, armrest can protect you if you have limited upper body balance. It could also help you shift your weight in the chair to prevent sores. And as falls could also happen even if you have someone pushing you, having an armrest could mean the difference between staying in the wheelchair and getting slammed at the pavement.
The wheelchair industry has produced different types of armrests. Remember that your choice of armrest should be based in your activities, environment, special needs, level of function and preference. Hence, the decision to use armrest is up to you and what makes you comfortable and not on the perception of how tough you are or anyone else’s attitude.