Going up stairs with handrail in a wheelchair

Technique for people with strong arms


User goes up a flight of stairs with handrail, filmed by Madeleine Stenius, Rehabstation Stockholm

The user drives up to the stairway so the wheelchair is about 10-15 cm from the railing. He balances on the rear wheels, grabs the railing with his left hand, and pulls himself up at the same time that he presses with his right hand on the push rim. When he comes up one step, he moves his left hand forward on the railing and moves his right hand backwards on the push rim.

Description of technique according to the book ‘Drivkraft’ [Driving force] by Ake Norsten, see below.

Users comments
For a description of more driving techniques, see the book ‘Drivkraft körergononmi, rullstolsteknik & metodik’ [Driving force driving ergonomics, wheelchair techniques and methods] by Åke Norsten. The book is available in Swedish and may be ordered from Spinalis, spinalis.se/?lang=en or Aleris Rehabstation Stockholm, aleris.se/rehabstation (last checked December 2020).

User goes up a flight of stairs with handrail.

User goes up a flight of stairs with handrail. Photo: Madeleine Stenius, Rehabstation Stockholm

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Author: Staffan

Staffan bor i lägenhet. Han arbetar heltid. Han har en låg paraplegi sedan födseln. Ingen assistans.

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