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Do winter jackets affect how you drive your wheelchair?
As winter rears its ugly head, I’m reminded of one annual frustration I know many of us share: winter coats. 🙃
Between the bulkiness and how stiff/heavy they make our arms feel, coats make it so much harder to drive our wheelchairs safely. For me, the moment I put one on, I no longer fit just right into my seat and have trouble driving. That’s why I choose to skip one altogether. But man, does it get cold in New England.
I’m curious… how do you all handle this? Do you skip coats altogether? Use blankets or wheelchair ponchos instead? Have you found any hacks that make staying warm and staying mobile a little easier?
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11 Replies
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This is why I stopped wearing coats years ago. I have a wheelchair poncho, but I can’t use my phone while I’m wearing it, so I don’t use it that much. I prefer to use some kind of cape like this: <font face=”inherit”>https://www.tartantweeds.co.uk/black-watch-tartan-womens-pure-wool-cape-13021-p.asp</font> I’ll take a little cold over being unable to move my arms.
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That’s such a pretty cape! Do you wrap it over your joystick, or do you leave your hands/joystick outside of it?
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Usually I keep my hands out so I can use my phone, unless the cold is getting to be too much for me.
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I handle this by living in Miami 😉
Seriously, I wear ponchos and I layer thin material. The challenge is having enough layers to be warm, but not so many that it weighs me down.
One solution I found is keeping my legs warm. Before I sit in the chair, I put a blanket across the legs and once I’m sitting, I wrap them up like a burrito. I tend to wear skirts so that’s easy but keeping my extremities layered makes all the difference.
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Ughhhhh, jealous! Miami’s idea of cold is essentially the same as a New England heat wave during the winter. It was 45 degrees here last week, and I was basking in the sun. 😆
I really like the idea of putting a blanket down on the seat first. I never thought of that! Typically, it’s my knees down that get the coldest and, ultimately, end up hurting for hours in the wintertime. (Old bones, you know?) I may have to try that.
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Not a fan of winter due to the need to bundle up. I prefer wearing shorts year-round, which is not ideal in Maryland, but more comfortable for me. I’ll wear long pants if the event or occasion warrants it, but otherwise, shorts win the day. That said, I have a couple of smaller, pet sized blankets that I use to lay across my legs and then tuck them in on sides of the calf rests and thigh restraints on the chair. Not ideal, but it works. As for a jacket or coat, I typically buy ones that are very lightweight, often referred to as lightweight or ultralightweight packable down jackets, and then buy one size up to make them easier to put on and take off. Packable ones tend to be less restrictive and very lightweight. They are available with and without hoods depending on what you like.
One thing I have noticed this winter is that as I get older, I tend to feel colder than in years past, even when inside. Along with shorts, I often wear short sleeved shirts. This winter I’ve started wearing a lightweight (think summer weight) UV protection long sleeve shirt as an additional layer. Again, one size up as it’s a top layer. For me, this is a good solution to take away the slight chill. If I need something thicker, I will wear something like an Under Armour Cold Gear shirt. They are warm without a lot of bulk. Other companies make similar style shirts, but I make sure to stay away from the ones listed as “compression” as they are way too tight and restricting for my preferences, no matter what size I order.
As far as gloves, if I don’t need a real good grip, I’ll use mittens and even add hand warmers if it’s that cold. For more grip, I use winter golf gloves. They are typically flexible and less restrictive while providing slight warmth. Not good for really cold days or for being outside for extended periods of time.
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You seem to have this down to a science! Like you said, I noticed I get colder more easily even when I’m indoors now. I always wear strapless shirts at home, regardless of the seasons, so I can move my arms freely. Granted I can barely move them to begin with, but having that extra layer of material makes it all the more difficult.
I should think about using some blankets. Right now I use big scarves and shawls, they help keep my body a little bit warmer, but still leave my arms exposed. I’ve seen wheelchair blankets around the internet as well. I just don’t know how well they work, though.
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Tried laying a blanket over my legs and tucking it on the sides a couple times, but that was not especially helpful. The body heat I was trying to conserve would escape from my calves. Add our slower circulation and… chilly.
Not sure if I explained it properly. We lay the blanket across the backrest of my legs so that it starts under my knees. Then once I’m settled in the chair, I wrap up the sides and fold the bottom part in.
Spent a long time resisting it because I hated that image of the crippled girl in the corner with the blanket on her legs. F**k it. Keeping my legs wrapped up made all the difference.
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Ohhh ok yes, I understand now. And that makes a lot more sense than the way I was thinking! But I hear you, girl. Screw optics. I wanna be cozy.
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I have a lot of difficulty as well wearing most jackets in the winter, but what is more frustrating is having someone put the jacket on me or take it back off again when come indoors. The act of getting a jacket on and off usually throws my seating position off and as it is typically done by someone unused to dressing me, it often results in painfully wrenching my shoulder.
Most of the time, if I know that I will be in and out of cold weather, I will wear a warm sweatshirt, hoodie or possibly a sweater over a thermal undershirt. It does restrict arm movement a little but no where close to a bulky jacket. i will also wear a vest jacket with no sleeves. These are absolutely fantastic …they come in all thicknesses and varying warmth. A very light thin fleece vest like can order from one of those China import shops are very easy to move in, come in a variety of colors and look nice. If we are talking extremely cold, i have one vest with a built in heater that runs on a usb battery charger. Hand warmers like those disposable packets that heat up when exposed to air are a must-have . i keep some behind my chair and in our van.
For legs, sweatpants work well and so do thermal long-john type underwear work good or knee-high socks.
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So many good ideas here. I never thought about wearing thermal pants as a base layer. I may have to do that. I don’t remember the last time winter in New England was this cold, and I’m struggling to stay warm, even indoors. Due to poor circulation in my lower extremities, I have a hard time regulating my body temperature in my legs and feet. It also causes me to have more pain, so I’m always looking for ways to combat this. Thank you for sharing the tips here!
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