Many wheelchair users unnecessarily limit their activities to familiar environments because they have not learned the skills to safely access other areas independently. As anyone who has ever used a wheelchair knows, the built environment does not always provide adequate wheelchair access. While standard ramps and curb cuts make the use of a wheelchair easier, perfecting these skills and gaining more insight into the correct ways to maneuver a wheelchair makes a rider more comfortable and, therefore, more safe. Good wheelchair riding skills are critical when venturing onto unpaved surfaces, through narrow doorways, and up or down curbs not yet ramped.

The Manual Wheelchair Training Guide Second Edition is filled with clear instructions and illustrations to show wheelchair riders and their training assistants a variety of techniques for accessing the world. Collected from skilled peers, each skill is illustrated and explained in detail in the guide. This publication is also useful as a textbook for Occupational and Physical Therapy programs. The easy to follow steps for assisting a wheelchair user are helpful for professors and students world wide. 

General hints are provided to help wheelchair users plan suitable routes of travel, develop skills for emergency situations, and learn guidelines on when and how to obtain assistance from others. Also included, are techniques for companions to assist wheelchair riders with good body mechanics.

“As an Occupational Therapist teaching at NYU, and a private practice clinician, I have found the Manual Wheelchair Training Guide an essential tool for training mobility skills to both students and clients. Since the Manual Wheelchair Training Guide has been authored by RESNA certified assistive technology professionals and actual wheelchair users, I have been assured of the most comprehensive instructions and training techniques since 1998. The Manual Wheelchair Training Guide is the indispensable standard for educating students, clients, and professionals, in wheelchair mobility and maintenance.”
Michael W. Tranquilli, MA, OTR/L

acknowledgments

This project was funded by the Paralyzed Veterans of America Spinal Cord Injury Education and Training Foundation (contract #EFT 238-94), and Beneficial Designs, Inc.