Sunrise Medical SMA manual Benefits

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•May reduce repetitive injury of the neck, by allowing eye to eye conversations

•Allows access to ADLs (Activities of Daily Living) – cooking, microwave, sinks, water faucet, etc.

Seat to floor function

The seat lifts off from the base and moves forward than lowers the occupant to the floor.

Benefits:

•Peer interaction for children – can participate in circle time, etc

•Access surfaces lower – therapy mats, shelves, etc.

•Some children may be able to transfer independently when being low to the ground.

Standing

Some wheelchairs (manual and power) offer integrated standing. This helps making standing a more frequent, integrated, mobile exercise, and allows it to become a functional part of the day. Some tradeoffs exist with standers, such as increased seat to floor height, heavier wheelchair, possibly slightly compromised sitting position.

Benefits:

•Significantly increased environmental access (basically increased vertical access equals the user’s thigh length: 10”-20”)

•Reach to shelves, cooking, sinks, fire alarm, light switches, payphone, vending machines, water faucets, grocery shelves, etc.

•More independence due to better access to surfaces

•Improved Bone Mineral Density (recent studies indicate that dynamic loading of the bone is superior in maintenance of BMD as compared to static loading, which is provided by stationary standers)

•Reduction in pressure sores (when standing, there is no pressure at all on the sit bones)

•Reduction/delay of secondary skeletal deformities (standing helps extend the upper trunk, delaying kyphosis and scoliosis)

•Reduced occurrence of urinary tract infections

•Reduced muscle atrophy and delayed contractures

•Improved respiratory capacity, better speech, breathing and less coughing