http://www.siemensjobcam.com/mobile-power-wheelchairs/
Which leg muscles am I exercising by doing this? (P.T. help, please)?
(This question is keyed toward Physical Therapists.)
I am a single-leg B.K. amputee for 33 years. Whenever my limb or prosthesis is “unusable” (in the shop or else) I normally use my wheelchair anywhere I go. Whenever I do “roll” around, rather than using my hands to PUSH my wheelchair, I use my good leg by “scooting” me from place to place.
Which leg muscles am I using to (so) push me around in my wheelchair? My chair is high enough from off the ground to use only my knee-flection, so I know I am not using my quadriceps when I am in my wheelchair.
And at times my knee joint begins feeling numb when I “scoot” long distances in my wheelchair because of this action. – Is this SAFE to continue or should I use a MOTORIZED wheelchair to get around when I need it?
I do try to POWER-WALK at my local shopping mall for exercise and stress relief when I am physically able. Should I continue this routine (although I know I am doing only 1/2 when I am 1/2-mobile)?
Assuming you are scooting forward (and not pushing backwards), you are using your hamstrings and/or gastroc (calf muscle).
It’s hard to tell about your “numb” feeling…especially if it’s just in in the knee which is not consistent with a neurogenic or vascular pattern (as numbness usually indicates this or circulation).
If the numbness is really a fatigue, it’s OK to push yourself to fatigue, but you should recover after some rest. If you are having pain or the numbness is radiating up or down the leg, then you may need to back off. I would switch between hand pushing and leg scooting. You’ll loose a lot of endurance if you use a powerchair…certainly many times they are needed, but there is a trade off for using it.
Gabe’s driving power wheelchair for the first time.