How To Get A Wheelchair Up A Flight Of Stairs

Getting Ready to Carry the Wheelchair Up a Flight of Steps

Using a wheelchair to go up and down stairs is difficult for anyone who is disabled or elderly. This is due to the fact that a typical staircase acts as an architectural barrier for anyone with mobility challenges, and it may even make it impossible for them to leave or enter their own homes. For more on our best foldable power wheelchairs visit Everlasting Mobility.

If you don’t have a wheelchair lift or stair climber, you’ll need to figure out how to get up stairs in a wheelchair without endangering the wellbeing of the person you are caring for. Since wheelchairs are typically heavy, pulling one up the steps requires two people, with the stronger person going up first.

But before you do, you must first get the wheelchair ready to go up the flight of stairs.

Remove Any Additional Weight

Wheelchairs are already heavy, as I mentioned earlier; the last thing you want to do is add more weight when you can avoid it. Thus, begin by getting rid of any unnecessary items like water bottles, umbrellas, or even bags. Even these small things add up over time. It will be simpler if you are carrying less weight. You should just have to support the weight of the wheelchair and the person using it.

If using a power chair, switch to manual mode.

You must put the motorized wheelchair in manual mode if the user is in one.

Any number of problems could arise if the joystick was accidentally used while the chair was being carried up the stairs. You could unintentionally hurt yourself, the person in the wheelchair, and the person assisting you.

Maintain Tire Inflation

Wheelchairs with inflated tires are available. You might believe that deflating the tires will reduce the weight of the wheelchair because you desire to do so. But avoid doing that!

Your task will get more difficult if you deflate the tires. This is because climbing up the stairs will result in more friction due to the decreasing pressure. The chair will require more work to push up the steps if there is increased friction, and you don’t want that.

Put Your Seatbelt On

Seatbelts are available on some wheelchair models for maneuverability. If there is one on the wheelchair in question, make sure it is secured around the wheelchair user.

This is merely to increase the person’s safety in the event that something were to happen while you were climbing. You don’t want to make their condition worse by adding to it.

Use Anti-Slip Tape

You must think about your personal safety as well as the safety of your attendant while you watch out for the wheelchair user’s safety. When you are carrying a lot of weight and are more likely to slide, climbing stairs might be difficult. Use anti-skid tape on the staircase’s steps to prevent this.

How to Carry a Wheelchair Up Stairs

And now for the most crucial part: how to carry a wheelchair-bound person up stairs.

Step 1: Backup the chair to the staircase

Back the chair up the steps with the assistance of your assistant(s). The wheelchair should be pushed by the person with the most strength, with the other assistant in front.

Step 2: The foot of the more powerful individual should be one step higher.

To prepare them for lifting the wheelchair by the handles, say this. But, you must first ensure that the handle grips are firmly fastened. The second assistant should now be holding onto the chair’s frame slightly above its front wheels while positioned in front of the chair. Make sure no one is holding onto any removable parts, for starters.

Step 3: Reverse the chair’s inclination

The wheelchair should be tilted backward to find a balance tilt point. Making ensuring that the wheelchair’s back wheels are on the ground should include two people.

Step 4: Roll the chair up the first step after lifting it.

Now, with the assistance of your assistant, lift the wheelchair so that the back wheels land on the following step. Repeat these procedures for the following stairs. Stop at the balancing point after each step before taking the next one.

Step 5: When you get to the top, keep the chair slanted.

The chair should be leaned backward until the front wheels hit the top step after you have reached the top of the staircase. Then, gently lower the wheelchair until all four wheels are on the ground. And that is how to maneuver the wheelchair up the stairs, even ones that are curved.

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