Ride up an escalator in a wheelchair

Technique for people who have strong arms

Dela
Dela

User rides up an escalator, filmed by Madeleine Stenius, Rehabstation Stockholm

The user positions himself in front of the escalator with around 10 cm between the edge and the push rim. He rolls in toward the escalator so the drive wheels end up on a step. He holds on with both hands on the escalator handrail. When the steps are raised he leans forward. When the steps start to level off, he raises his upper body into an upright position, presses on the drive wheel with one hand to take the weight from the castors, while the other hand remains on the handrail.

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

Users comments
It is good to begin with bent elbows to avoid changing the grip to correct for the speed of the handrail (which sometimes is faster than the stairs).

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).