Comfort becomes even more essential when you have limited mobility.
While a wheelchair cushion is an obvious requirement to make a seat comfortable, other parts of your body need to stay comfortable as well. Wheelchair arm pads, as well as other features like wheelchair footrests and wheelchair backrests, all play a part in making you comfortable as you spend most of your time sitting.
Most people would belittle the use of arm pads. However, once you start experiencing them, you can never go without them.
Before purchasing arm pads, read on to discover the crucial things you need to know about this type of accessory:
What Are Wheelchair Arm Pads
A wheelchair user makes use of a wheelchair armrest to rest their elbows or hands. A stable armrest with comfortable wheelchair arm pads will allow you to adjust your sitting position with ease. It acts as a support and gives further stability.
While an armrest makes a wheelchair easier to use, excellent wheelchair arm pads can take its functionality to the next level. Compared to just placing your hands on an open metal rod, using arm pads make it more comfortable. Even if you have limited mobility, you can handle your wheelchair with less difficulty.
The armrest is a vital component as it not only acts as a comfortable place where you can rest your arms while seated in the wheelchair. It also plays a big part in providing the needed support for someone with lower back injuries or anyone who finds it challenging to balance and control their upper body.
Benefits of Arm Pads
When looking for an excellent pair of arm pads for your wheelchair, you’ll want to make sure that you’ll be enjoying the most amount of benefits from it.
Safety Functions That Are Beneficial To You
With around 2 million new wheelchair users every year in the United States alone, safety is the most crucial factor that wheelchair and accessory manufacturers consider. The arm pads you choose must help you in maintaining balance while you are seated in the wheelchair.
Aside from the balancing aspect, the arm pads must also aid in mobility – they must provide stability when moving around. It must also offer support for your arms and body when steering the wheelchair.
Arm Pads Help in Reducing Pressure
With around 650 million people – about 10% of the world’s population – living with a disability, the need to improve wheelchair functions has never been more crucial than ever. When your armrest has soft arm pads that perform well, it will help reduce the pressure on your arms and elbows. Not only that, but it can also help alleviate pain because of the arm support it offers.
The pads’ outer covering must also be hypoallergenic to prevent skin irritation and rashes, especially if you have sensitive skin.
Ease of Movement
You may think lightly of it, but arm pads can also help you have more effortless mobility. They can aid you whether you’re getting in the wheelchair, repositioning yourself, or getting out of it onto the bed or into the car. Grabbing the armrest can give you the needed leverage and support in your various movements.
Arm pads are helpful when you need to adjust your position in the wheelchair or when you want to correct your posture.
Other Things To Consider When Choosing Arm Pads
One of the most critical factors to consider is the materials used in the pads. You can choose one with synthetic lambskin as it’s soft and easy to clean. If you’re worried about the material getting wet, you can also opt for a waterproof material such as nylon.
The most common arm pad covering is leather. Not only does it give a beautiful look to the armrest, but it also provides long-term use due to its high quality.
Another factor you don’t want to neglect is the cleaning part. The arm pads must be washable or easily cleaned to reduce the possibility of germs and bacteria build-up on the armrest.
Choose the Best Arm Pads
With around 3.6 million people aged 15 and older using a wheelchair in the United States alone, there are numerous wheelchair arm pads available for you to choose from. Considering the factors we’ve covered, you’ll be able to select the perfect arm pads that will give you added flexibility and mobility.
