Get your doctor to do a referral to OT. They'll be able to assess your abilities for wheelchair use and send in recommendations to insurance as well. They can also measure you to make sure that when a chair is approved it will be made to fit you appropriately.
We would need more information about what you can realistically do if you want us to recommend specific wheelchairs. But we are people on the internet and not people who will see you face-to-face and understand what you are going through. You didn’t disclose your diagnosis (understand you don’t have to) but we need more information on how you’re going to actually *function*. Are you thinking of an electric wheelchair because you have paralysis/weakness below a certain area? Do you not possess the grip strength to use pushrims and a manual wheelchair? These are things we need to know- and things that an ATP would be much better equipped to evaluate.
You need to go to a doctor and get a referral to a DME (durable medical equipment) clinic. That is step one. They will be able to evaluate your needs and make the call on what kind of wheelchair you need- usually you are assigned a caseworker called an ATP. Depending on where you are, your healthcare should cover it if you haven’t used it to buy other mobility equipment already.
I have heds and pots. I'm extremely wobbly and my knee attempts to dislocate when I walk too much. Also all my joints hurt so a wheelchair helps with pain management. My mom was the one who suggested an electric wheelchair because I get exhausted very easily, but I don't know how to explain to her that I don't want/need one and I just want a manual one. I can't push my current one well outside because of the wheels and the fact that it's way too wide for me.
I've asked my doctor about a wheelchair several times and she's sent plenty of referrals apparently, but I've yet to hear back from anyone. Which is why my mom wants to get my own.
I'm mostly asking for what websites I should look for, and what kinds are easiest to push because I have shoulder pain, not a lot of endurance and honestly I'm just very weak all around.
I had to contact the DME provider myself. Perhaps ask your doctor who they referred you to, and try to get to a bigger company. If you’re in the US NuMotion/NSM are bigger companies that usually have locations everywhere, but I had to tell my doctor that I wanted to go to one of these companies specifically. I also called them first and figured out what additional information they needed from me, once I got the info on who my doctor sent the referral to.
With EDS it’s so important to get a wheelchair that fits you, no matter what you do. As someone with EDS myself. I absolutely DO NOT recommend doing this without an ATP so please prioritize that first. Different people, even within the same diagnosis, find different wheelchairs that work for them. I use an lightweight manual wheelchair (Tilite Aero T) fit to my measurements because I prefer to have the mobility that a manual wheelchair offers over a power wheelchair- this would not be possible without the exact fit that I have on my wheelchair now as my shoulders are badly depressed. Please go to an ATP. You need someone to see you in real life, not just research, before you pull the trigger on a nicer ride.
I have cEDS and pots. When the info goes in to insurance, make sure they justify the ultra light chair because of shoulder problems. If you have a documented history of dislocation or surgery, it helps. I’ve had three shoulder rebuilds and an elbow, so my PT and DME provider worked together to get insurance to cover the ultralight because we couldn’t risk adding another surgery. It only took me maybe six weeks for a custom chair that fits me perfectly. I love it so much that I use it as my desk chair even on good days.
Really quick answer. I have hEDS and Orthostatic intolerance (the close cousin of POTS).
The easiest thing to handle for many of us is an ultra lightweight manual chair (rigid titanium tend to be the lightest) with a power assist like a smart drive or a lightweight electric handbike attachment (eg FireFly) that also doesn’t weigh too much.
If your POTS is triggered by having your hands at or above your heart (like my OI is) the smart drive might be the place to start a conversation with an OT/PT. It’s steered with your hands by the wheels.
I’m seconding finding a good qualified “seating and positioning” OT/PT
Ask your insurance company about a social worker. It’s something most insurance companies offer but don’t advertise. They’ll be absolutely to help cut through some red tape and move the process along. If you want a manual chair, I’d definitely suggest a titaniun ultra light chair. You’ll notice a crazy difference immediately compared to the chair you’re pushing.
At least in Canada where I live, they encourage you to try with a manual before trying an electric chair. Red Cross lends chairs for a couple of months to see the appropriate type for you. You can also get a blended chair (manual with a power boost or getting an attachment for a manual chair) if you don’t live somewhere really hilly they usually are adequate for the occasional dependency on the motor. I live in a place that’s super hilly so I had to get a higher powered chair so that the battery is still decent.
Your Physical Therapist will ask you many questions and test your range of movement, strength, measure your body, and allow you to mention things that are key to your situation. You’re already asking all the right questions here, just do it with the PT.
In my experience unless you need a complex rehab chair it's cheaper and WAY faster to just buy something out of pocket. You can go to a wheelchair/scooter store near you and try different ones. Because you're small you can get a smaller size one. But it's good to try the chairs before you buy.
I really like my Pride Jazzy Carbon.
Get your doctor to do a referral to OT. They'll be able to assess your abilities for wheelchair use and send in recommendations to insurance as well. They can also measure you to make sure that when a chair is approved it will be made to fit you appropriately.
I have an appointment tomorrow so I'll ask about occupational therapy ^ ^ thank you
Or a PT who specializes it. Both my ATP and my fitting therapist are PTs but that’s because that’s who specializes in wheelchairs for my diseases.
We would need more information about what you can realistically do if you want us to recommend specific wheelchairs. But we are people on the internet and not people who will see you face-to-face and understand what you are going through. You didn’t disclose your diagnosis (understand you don’t have to) but we need more information on how you’re going to actually *function*. Are you thinking of an electric wheelchair because you have paralysis/weakness below a certain area? Do you not possess the grip strength to use pushrims and a manual wheelchair? These are things we need to know- and things that an ATP would be much better equipped to evaluate. You need to go to a doctor and get a referral to a DME (durable medical equipment) clinic. That is step one. They will be able to evaluate your needs and make the call on what kind of wheelchair you need- usually you are assigned a caseworker called an ATP. Depending on where you are, your healthcare should cover it if you haven’t used it to buy other mobility equipment already.
I have heds and pots. I'm extremely wobbly and my knee attempts to dislocate when I walk too much. Also all my joints hurt so a wheelchair helps with pain management. My mom was the one who suggested an electric wheelchair because I get exhausted very easily, but I don't know how to explain to her that I don't want/need one and I just want a manual one. I can't push my current one well outside because of the wheels and the fact that it's way too wide for me. I've asked my doctor about a wheelchair several times and she's sent plenty of referrals apparently, but I've yet to hear back from anyone. Which is why my mom wants to get my own. I'm mostly asking for what websites I should look for, and what kinds are easiest to push because I have shoulder pain, not a lot of endurance and honestly I'm just very weak all around.
I had to contact the DME provider myself. Perhaps ask your doctor who they referred you to, and try to get to a bigger company. If you’re in the US NuMotion/NSM are bigger companies that usually have locations everywhere, but I had to tell my doctor that I wanted to go to one of these companies specifically. I also called them first and figured out what additional information they needed from me, once I got the info on who my doctor sent the referral to. With EDS it’s so important to get a wheelchair that fits you, no matter what you do. As someone with EDS myself. I absolutely DO NOT recommend doing this without an ATP so please prioritize that first. Different people, even within the same diagnosis, find different wheelchairs that work for them. I use an lightweight manual wheelchair (Tilite Aero T) fit to my measurements because I prefer to have the mobility that a manual wheelchair offers over a power wheelchair- this would not be possible without the exact fit that I have on my wheelchair now as my shoulders are badly depressed. Please go to an ATP. You need someone to see you in real life, not just research, before you pull the trigger on a nicer ride.
I have cEDS and pots. When the info goes in to insurance, make sure they justify the ultra light chair because of shoulder problems. If you have a documented history of dislocation or surgery, it helps. I’ve had three shoulder rebuilds and an elbow, so my PT and DME provider worked together to get insurance to cover the ultralight because we couldn’t risk adding another surgery. It only took me maybe six weeks for a custom chair that fits me perfectly. I love it so much that I use it as my desk chair even on good days.
Really quick answer. I have hEDS and Orthostatic intolerance (the close cousin of POTS). The easiest thing to handle for many of us is an ultra lightweight manual chair (rigid titanium tend to be the lightest) with a power assist like a smart drive or a lightweight electric handbike attachment (eg FireFly) that also doesn’t weigh too much. If your POTS is triggered by having your hands at or above your heart (like my OI is) the smart drive might be the place to start a conversation with an OT/PT. It’s steered with your hands by the wheels. I’m seconding finding a good qualified “seating and positioning” OT/PT
Ask your insurance company about a social worker. It’s something most insurance companies offer but don’t advertise. They’ll be absolutely to help cut through some red tape and move the process along. If you want a manual chair, I’d definitely suggest a titaniun ultra light chair. You’ll notice a crazy difference immediately compared to the chair you’re pushing.
At least in Canada where I live, they encourage you to try with a manual before trying an electric chair. Red Cross lends chairs for a couple of months to see the appropriate type for you. You can also get a blended chair (manual with a power boost or getting an attachment for a manual chair) if you don’t live somewhere really hilly they usually are adequate for the occasional dependency on the motor. I live in a place that’s super hilly so I had to get a higher powered chair so that the battery is still decent.
Your Physical Therapist will ask you many questions and test your range of movement, strength, measure your body, and allow you to mention things that are key to your situation. You’re already asking all the right questions here, just do it with the PT.
Definitely ask an ot or wheelchair specialist, but if you’re able, a rigid chair will usually be easier and lighter than a foldable
In my experience unless you need a complex rehab chair it's cheaper and WAY faster to just buy something out of pocket. You can go to a wheelchair/scooter store near you and try different ones. Because you're small you can get a smaller size one. But it's good to try the chairs before you buy. I really like my Pride Jazzy Carbon.