The Importance of Customised Shower Wheelchairs

In the movie Fight Club Edward Norton’s unnamed character asks whilst shopping for Ikea furniture “what dining set describes me best as a person?” Your shower wheelchair does not describe you as a person. 

Why then do we customise each shower wheelchair? 

It would be cheaper to produce one design, made in China that is exactly the same that you adjust to suit yourself, this is what other manufacturers do. 

The problem with this is each body is different;

• Type and level of disability

• Body size and weight

• Skin condition and associated risk/management strategy

• Range of motion and strength

Making a shower wheelchair adjustable (vs custom) increases the weight of the product which means when you travel you will struggle to lift it into a car boot, an airport trolley or worse still your helper will struggle. 

By making each shower wheelchair for the specific user we can tailor the below dimensions;

• Chair height

• Chair width & length

• Armrest height

• Backrest height and angle

• Footrest height and angle, flip or rigid

• Cushion geometry

• Custom requirements/requests

By custom making a shower wheelchair your OT will be able to optimise the design for your;

• Transfers

• Environment such as surfaces and toilet dimensions 

• Bowel care regime

• Skin and pressure management

• Posture making the chair as comfortable as possible and minimising degradation

• Carer, considering any access or features they may require

• Integration with equipment that you may require such as hoists

We work closely with OT’s to design solutions, often these problems are really specific, some of the customisations we have produced are;

• Custom brakes for users with compromised hand function

• Custom footplates for users with specific needs such as single foot propulsion or limited knee flexion

• Custom backrests in length, padding or design

• Shower wheelchairs for very tall users

• Pan solutions with specific hand clearances

• All kinds of cushion designs for hand clearances and carer access

We make custom shower wheelchairs that fit YOU perfectly. They are designed to fold quickly and easily and to be the lightest on the market so you can travel with ease and independence.

Customization transforms a shower wheelchair from just a piece of equipment into an enabler of autonomy and quality of life.