Mobility Aids - Blog Posts

Cosplayers, please don’t forget about those of us with disabilities at cons. Don’t push that walker or wheelchair out the way in artist’s alley because the owner of it isn’t touching it. Don’t give people funny looks for standing without their aids while they’re looking at things. Don’t get angry at the wheelchair user who has no choice but to go past your photographer because you’re taking up the entire space. Don’t kick out other cosplayers mobility aids. Keep space around you for disabled people, because we exist in your community and we just want to have fun like you do.

I've used a wheelchair for about a week now and I was soo nervous about it. But it's honestly been great, despite the minor accidents. I've gotten both thumbs stuck between the tire and the fender sideguard.. and I've tipped backwards onto the ground. But the worst part about that was that my open drink spilled everywhere:(

It feels easy, natural, amazing to just be able to move so freely with a lot less pain than before. I'm gonna be really sad, when I have to give it back.

Seeking advice: new wheelchair user

I will be using a wheelchair semi-regularly the next month to see if it will help reduce pain flare-ups / baseline pain and to figure out if it's helpful for me.

Tomorrow is the first day and I am going to uni and therapy. I have only used a wheelchair a couple of times but I'm comfortable with folding it and such as my dad's disabled and it's his wheelchair I'm borrowing. In theory I know how to maneuver around but I'm nervous about it.

Do any wheelchair-users have tips/advice for new wheelchair-users?

Extra info: it's a foldable wheelchair, brand is Quickie. I'm nervous about tipping backwards (no anti-tip), going up and down curbs, taking the metro, painful hands/arms/shoulders.

I wrote this in response to someone asking for advice, but I think it might be useful as it's own post.

Choosing a budget manual wheelchair

I've been using a wheelchair most of my adult life, and I know a lot of you do get an off-the-shelf manual wheelchair and wanted to lend my experience to help get the most out of it.

Important to know is most off-the-shelf chairs aren't actually made for self propulsion (even though they're labelled self-propelled) so here are good features to look for.

You want one with the axle directly beneath the back end of the seat, this will bring the wheel several inches forward of most off-the-shelf chairs, make self propulsion much much easier and allow you to tip more easily for a wheely (fun, and takes pressure off your spine which is more important than you might think).

If possible you want a low or folding back rest, not an absolute must but this allows you more back flex for more powerful propulsion, this is more desirable as your back and core muscles are strong for extended work and only using your arms can lead to long term shoulder injury.

You want to make sure nothing is in the way of your arms for the most natural movement (we don't want rotation injuries), so if needed ask if the arm rest is removable and how.

I would hope any chair has adjustable length foot rests, but that is really important.

You want at minimum a foam, ideally a gel cushion for pressure care... No cushion means no good, it's worth the extra money to avoid sores and pain from something you're spending all day in. I fully endorse e-begging to help afford a chair that isn't damaging your health.

This is just self care, if you can walk get up every couple of hours and take a few steps, it's good for you.

This is an example of what to look for. Anti-tip wheels will help while learning, arm rests fold away, back rest folds down for more powerful propulsion, looks like a decent cushion, adjustable foot rests. This one is the "Drive Spirit lightweight aluminium wheelchair" but I've seen it advertised under other names too and I'd say it's in the budget wheelchair range ($300-$500) but punching well above its price point in features.

This is kinda weird but I’m trying to figure out how weird my ankles actually are. I have over-pronated ankles but high arches, which apparently is strange because flat feet cause over-probated ankles and high arches cause under-pronated.

Over-pronated ankles look like ) (

Under-pronated ankles look like ( )

And normal ankles are straight | |

Please reblog if you care to so I can get a larger sample! It would be much appreciated!

disabled people have talked already about how inappropriate it is to touch or grab their mobility aids. but less often i think do people know how to act if they were asked to hold, retrieve, or touch someone's aid (such as crutches or canes as these are the aids i have used and am familiar with)

being friends, family, or partners with a disabled person doesn't grant permission to touch their aids at any time. furthermore having permission to touch an aid - to hold it, pick it up, or retrieve it etc - doesn't give permission to touch or play with them as you please. while keeping in mind that different people's boundaries will vary, here are some things not to do with someone mobility aid:

don't fiddle, stim, or play with it

don't wave it or swing them around

don't hold it by the handle the owner uses to utilize it

do not use the device

do not "test it out"

do not lean your weight on it

[in the case of crutches] do not use them to hop or otherwise take your feet off the ground for fun

try not to drop them or make them unclean

do not adjust any settings

do not use them as a weapon or play-weapon

do not walk immediately behind the air user/out of sight

try not to flip them upside down

what you should do instead:

return the aid immediately when asked. no delays because you were not done with them

hold the aid(s) upright, out of the way from other people by the main body

ask before touching or negotiate times when it is okay to grab without asking (such as if they have been dropped or are falling)

give the aid user increased space and distance to use them safely

try to make sure you aren't forcing an aid user to walk on a sloped path (such as on the pavement/sidewalk)

most importantly, don't take someone's boundaries around their mobility device personally, regardless of how close you two are. disabled people deserve autonomy over the things that support and supplement their body functions just as much as their own body.

Hate have say this but

NOT TOUCH OTHER PEOPLE DISABILITY THING PLEASE

Should not even have be please, should be good and know but somehow not.

Person in Aiden class before today *grab* Aiden laptop with AAC and Aiden had *physical* grab back because person start press random button on Aiden AAC.

Then! Person get *mad* because Aiden not want person play with Aiden *voice* like *toy*

This not good, and wish person know more good but guess Aiden have say too.

ive never done a tumblr before this is scary

time to throw some art into the void ig 😅

𝘾𝙊𝙈𝙈𝙄𝙎𝙎𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙎 𝘼𝙍𝙀 𝙊𝙋𝙀𝙉!!

Hi, I'm opening commissions to get mobility aids!!

Yeah, that's basically it. I need cash so I can get stuff to help me walk around and:

- Not be in pain all the time

- Not collapse at random

- Make it easier for me to get around in college

•─────✧─────•

WORKS AND PRICES:

•─────✧─────•

Small Works:

Jellyfish: $1

Horribly Drawn Memes: $1

Autism Doodles: $1 ($ 3 for color)

Character Ship Rings: $1 (per character, multiple characters welcomed )

Poorly Drawn Pokemon: $2 ($5 for color)

Edit/Aesthetic Pfps: $2 (per pfp)

Random Tattoo Designs: $5

Descriptions:

Jellyfish: You get a drawing of a jellyfish. That's it.

Horribly Drawn Memes: Send the meme, and I'll draw it so horribly it will be sad or funny

Autism Doodles: Trinket/Creature from your special interest/hyper fixation will bedrawn. Yes, I want to know about it (/srs)

Poorly Drawn Pokemon: I draw low quality Pokemon

Character Ship Rings: I draw matching rings based on the characters/ship(s) of your choice. Please keep it leģal. Poly is more than welcomed

Edit/Aesthetic Pfp: Give a character/base, I'll make a pfp

Random Tattoos: I send random a tattoo I designed. You don't have to credit me

•─────⚝─────•

Oc|Characters:

Head: $3

Upper Body: $6

Full Body: $9

Send a picture of your Oc/character, and I'l draw them.

•─────✦─────•

Clothing Designs:

Will be drawn on a blank model. Give a theme, and I will make a design

Dress: $5

Top: $2

Bottom: $3

No color (for speed in production)

•─────✦─────•

NSFW (18+!!!): $20- $50

For NSFW, both you and the character(s) need to be 18+

No: Inc3st, P3d0, R@p3, etc

Yes: Sexual, Kink, Gore (not sexual), etc

•─────✦─────•

•─────♥︎─────•

WORKS:

•─────♥︎─────•

My LinkTree with all my stuff:

Linktree

Venmo

Cashapp: $0tt3rPopp [zero, not a capital O]

My Discord to receive commissions + talk out prices:

♡°•𝐎𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫.𝐏𝐨𝐩°•♡#3058

[Copy it, it's a special font] [if not, message me here with your discord]

─────────────────────

PLEASE help me out with this.

Like, reblog, anything

I finally got my first non-homemade cane, it folds up and is so comfortable to hold and walk with, w’s in the chat

In case anyone finds it helpful because mobility aids are horrifically expensive and inaccessible…

And for those people who have access to mobility devices but might benefit from a second chair they can abuse without risking expensive damage…

Erik Kondo has made a website, Open Source Innovations, that details plans for DIY wheelchairs. These wheelchairs can be made from common materials like wood, plastic, and pvc. They are lightweight and can be custom fit to the user allowing from the same degree of movement you would get from a custom chair. And they are durable and easily repairable. (he has been stress testing his latest design by dropping it down stairs, dropping it out of a car, launching it across a driveway, and throwing it off a deck). Its 12lbs and I think he said its was in the $200 ish range for parts.

He also is working on cheap, open source, accessible designs for beach chairs, off road chairs, motorized attachments (think smart drive), and so on. Plus he skateboards in his wheelchair. Cool dude, helpful info, pass it on.

[Image description: a wheelchair made from lumber, screws, front caster wheels, big rear wheelchair wheels, a thin firm-looking seat cushion, duct tape, and a few other hardware odds and ends. The chair appears handmade with a solid but DIY vibe, and many of the parts look like they could have come from a neighborhood hardware store.]

In case anyone finds it helpful because mobility aids are horrifically expensive and inaccessible…

And for those people who have access to mobility devices but might benefit from a second chair they can abuse without risking expensive damage…

Erik Kondo has made a website, Open Source Innovations, that details plans for DIY wheelchairs. These wheelchairs can be made from common materials like wood, plastic, and pvc. They are lightweight and can be custom fit to the user allowing from the same degree of movement you would get from a custom chair. And they are durable and easily repairable. (he has been stress testing his latest design by dropping it down stairs, dropping it out of a car, launching it across a driveway, and throwing it off a deck). Its 12lbs and I think he said its was in the $200 ish range for parts.

He also is working on cheap, open source, accessible designs for beach chairs, off road chairs, motorized attachments (think smart drive), and so on. Plus he skateboards in his wheelchair. Cool dude, helpful info, pass it on.