Oftentimes when you are going places with your wheelchair there will be obstacles to overcome. A wheelchair ramp is very common nowadays and removes the steps as an obstacle.
The process of pushing a wheelchair up a ramp by yourself is important for safety and reaching the top of the ramp.
- Make sure you have nothing hanging on the back of the wheelchair or in your lap.
- Raise your front casters and propel yourself so that the front casters clear any door threshold and are over the beginning of the lip of the ramp.
- Lean forward as far as you can and using the front of the back wheels propel yourself up the ramp with strong quick strokes.
The process of rolling a wheelchair down a ramp by yourself is important for safety and reaching the bottom of the ramp.
- Make sure you have nothing hanging on the back of the wheelchair or in your lap.
- Raise your casters up and slowly propel to the top of the ramp.
- Let the back wheels roll down the ramp while your casters are still in the air.
- You can slow down by gripping the back wheels and slowing the revolutions.
Assistance in pushing a wheelchair up a ramp with a passenger.
- Always push the wheelchair with the passenger facing forward and yourself squared behind the wheelchair.
- On steeper ramps use your legs to give a little force if needed, not your back.
Assistance in pushing a wheelchair down a ramp with a passenger.
- Always assist the wheelchair with the passenger facing up the ramp and yourself squared behind the wheelchair walking backwards down the ramp.
- Go slow down the ramp as you may have adjust the front casters by slightly maneuvering them straight.
- On steeper ramps use your legs to give a little force if needed, not your back for resistance down the ramp.
