Using a wheelchair for the first time will always be stressful and emotional, especially if you will be in the chair for the long term. Whether you have a disability, you are recovering from an injury or illness or for any other reason, it can be hard to adjust to using a wheelchair, not just physically but also emotionally. It will always take some time, but there are a few tips that should help you to adjust and hopefully help you to develop confidence and feel comfortable in the chair. Keep reading for a few tips that will help any new wheelchair user to adapt.
Practice As Much As You Can
Like anything in life, practice makes perfect when using a wheelchair. You might not feel much like using it at first, but it is important that you get comfortable and confident in the chair. You should adjust the height, footrests, and armrests to a comfortable level and then try to practice working in tight spaces, reversing, and turning in the wheelchair to build up your confidence. It is also helpful to work on your strength to improve your abilities.
Plan Trips Ahead
If you are planning a trip out, you should always plan ahead. It will always cause some stress at first, but it is a good idea to think about how you will get to where you need to go and what the obstacles along the way will be. When you are able to plan ahead, you should be able to manage and reduce stress.
Don’t Shy Away From Asking For Help
Leading on from this, you should never shy away from asking for help. This could be a partner, family member, friend or even someone on the street. People will always want to help, and there is no shame in asking if you need any kind of assistance. Once you get used to doing this, it becomes easier over time.
Find A Community
It can be hard to adjust to life in a wheelchair, and it is likely that you will feel lonely. You are not alone, though, as there are around 65 million wheelchair users globally! It is a great idea to join a community so that you can meet with other wheelchair users, learn from them and get support. There are both in-person communities and online communities, and you should find these to be hugely helpful in terms of support.
Look Into Stem Cell Treatments
These days, you might find that there are treatment options available that could help you to heal and lead a more active lifestyle. Stem cell treatments can help those with serious spinal cord injuries and other injuries to recover some mobility and function by regenerating damaged spinal cord tissue. It is worth looking at the testimonials of those that have had stem cell treatments and the improvements that they have seen. It is a gradual process, but stem cell treatments are certainly worth looking into. Hopefully, the advice in this post will be useful and help you to get used to being in a wheelchair and build your confidence levels.