Handling Curbs in a Wheelchair

This is a quick video explaining some tips to get up and down curbs when a wheelchair ramp is not available.

[@FifaProInc]

I'm in a wheelchair, and im always getting upset about life.... but you have made something good out of life, your'e my hero and inspiration!

[@YoInJal]

this helped a lot, thank you!! it wasn't a skill they taught me coming out of the hospital since I had a folding chair and was a bit larger, so wheelies and pop ups were not things i learned in inpatient almostv years ago. I finally got a rigid frame last june, but my husband wouldn't let me practice wheelies until I lost one of my anti tip bars, then forgot the other in my dad's car, lol. A friend finally helped me get wheelies down, but now I have no one to help practice curbs with. I'm too scarec falling to try it alone, but at least I know what to focus on when I'm able to!

[@dachadoodle7146]

Just get someone to practice with or just start slowly and go faster until you get up and also try it on smaller ones first Also, practice falling out of your chair and breaking the fall with your hands and maybe rolling and then pulling yourself back up into the chair so like in case you fall It’s also easier to go backwards and just lean forwards and let the back wheels drop down on the way down.

[@cathlyn205]

Being a 66 year old woman brand new to wheelchair life,(I’m not paralyzed, but if I walk more than short distances i stuffer severe pain and falling and looking like I fought s band of gorillas and lost), I so appreciate your videos! I just popped my first wheelie in this ultra light weight (ha) fold up chair, my first rigid frame chair should be here in about 4-5 weeks , we ordered it yesterday. So thanks for all your videos, they have been a great help to me.

[@juliakhestanova708]

thank you so much! I am getting ready for my board exam in OT, and one of the practice questions is how to teach the client to handle curbs! this is very helpful! I've been watching your video thru 2 years of school. Good luck with everything!

[@danielapinzon2035]

Julia Khestanova p

[@joshm3989]

Thx bud... Im pretty new to my manual chair. Your tips help me get through and around everyday obstacles. Much appreciated.

[@starskullyrulz2421]

hey man you are such an inspariation for me! I have been in a wheelchair for 9months now and I'm 13 years old, I also have a condition in my spine from t5 to t9 area and I had slowly started to give up on myself about 2 months ago but from watching your videos has made me have a big boost in my cofidence and I thank you for that!

[@mason_branstrator]

This is so sick, man is 23 now… how the time flies. Hope you are doing well sir 🙏🏻🤞🏼🤞🏼

[@samthescotsman]

i have cerebral palsy and i can not and probably never will be able to hold a wheelie while stationary but i have managed to keep my casters up for 5 pushes in one go so im getting there. i also have really big casters so that helps with uneven terrain. plus when im out in my chair i always have someone there so the can help me in an emergency. when im on my own i have a big road legal mobility scooter

[@shitonyourtoothbrush]

Hey thanks so much for posting this. I was reading about this technique in one if my occupational therapy books and was a little confused but this cleared things right up.

[@anneharrison1849]

The coming down tip is really useful, I had no idea it was supposed to be done that way, so I'd have avoided all but the smallest. However I'm doing the right thing for going up, but could probably only do the smallest of the ones shown, I don't know if it's realistic for me to hope I can learn it, I can get the wheelie high enough but not that and momentum. I would guess being an average height woman I'm significantly weaker in the upper body than you.

[@valterm5322]

Hi Bryan! Thanks for your videos. I'm a paraplegic and I'm working myself on some tips to improve people's life. I'm now researching the tecnique you're showing in this video, but I have difficulties finding out the, or at least one of the people who first invented this method. Can you help me with this? Even just a tip would be very usefull.

[@charchartvm9935]

Wow nice maam

[@isaacrashid3331]

Good video mate, really helpful thanks

[@kit4250]

I can only pop my front casters up if I'm not moving. So i'm able to get the casters onto the curb but then I don't have enough momentum to get the back wheels up

[@方訓文-x1f]

Hi, I am working on a project to facilitate wheelchair users to use Map Apps Can I use the clip of this video? Thanks!!

[@Parawheeler058]

Very nice. =) I think the highest to do safely for an average person is 4 or 5 inches. I did a 6 inch curb (up) and very nearly hit my face. Down I've yet to find something I can't do, so long as it doesn't hurt, haha.

[@starskullyrulz2421]

@Leonardo Camargo cool thanks

[@muddogmikeable]

My problem is when I come up to the curb I almost have to stop to pull the wheelie I have a quickie gt and pretty good at wheelies it seems you barley lean back and your casters come up is it me the chair ??????

[@westdudecargill9978]

Your rear axle may need to be moved back to rebalance you . My Quickie was to far forward and when pushing forward would lift the front wheels .

[@emanatef6415]

يارتنى اقدر اعمل زيك بس للاسف وزنى زياده

[@josepeixoto3384]

for those practising: here's what i would CERTAINLY do: i'd wear a HELMET,a FULL FACE HELMET,to protect the back of my head; a friend biker will lend one. this came after i read the comments.,and it's instinctive.......

[@chineseroller]

Very Cool

[@victims89]

dude why not land on all four wheels at the same time? seems like a unnecessary hit when the frontwheels´s touching the ground...

[@victims89]

safe how? when you can just fall backwards and hit the back of your head? and it´s the same hit even if you go down on the backwheels, and i cant see that you can have any speed while doing that which make the transportation rather halting...

[@victims89]

+Matthew Peel haha well it depends ive fallen backwards one time and that was because an idiot grabbed me from behind and said here let me help you while i was doing a weehlie but dude it takes to long just to go over a street. and if i want to go down stairs i usually turn around and then grab a hold of the eeh armrest? dont know the word in english and then just reverse down the stairs and it can be really fast.

[@punky19761]

+thatisnotdead The only time I have fallen from doing a wheelie is one time in 4th grade when I thought one of my friends had ahold of me, so I let go. She didn't have ahold of me lol. I do the same method of going up and down curbs that Paralyzed Living does.

[@RichardCheshire]

it really doesn't matter as long as you don't land on your front ones first, it's good to learn to land on back wheels if you want to do multiple steps or avoid a pothole on the ground

[@ghantasalarupa1708]

Hallo I want this wheelchair

[@Wheelygonzales]

I dont lean backward when going down a curb. I stay level with the ground. I feel that if i lean back when going down a curb im going over backwards for sure

[@zaclynch7080]

been in a push wheelchair with cerebral palsy for 14 years and I'm 17 years old. I can get down 1-2 stairs and I've been trying to get the skill of going up kerbs and steps and have never quite been able to do so without grabbing something and pulling myself up there or with someones help. but this video looks like it'll help.

[@justintex1]

you make it look so easy. Wheelies is something I have never learned to do. Wish I could but I have fallen and busted my ass. Good videos appreciate them.

[@drphillshoe]

And for some reason, the TARDIS needs a ramp now...

[@jackys267]

Hi, thx for your great video. What is the reason you lift the front wheels when going down the curb? And also, i have small wheels at the back to prevent falling on the back of your head.. don't these form an issue when going down a curb? And last question, bumps are very painful for me, is there a way to go up slower? Thanks in advance!

[@ParalyzedLiving]

Hi! I lift the front wheels going down the curb because it’s important that your rear wheels land first. If the front wheels touch down first, it makes the chair seat tip forward which could dump you on the ground. Your anti-tip bars would definitely make it hard to navigate curbs. They can be flipped temporarily so they are pointing up which gives enough clearance. They are mostly for new wheelchair users and they can be removed altogether once you get comfortable finding your center of gravity/tipping point. I had them in the beginning but most people take them off after some time. Unfortunately, you really need to get speed/momentum to go up curbs unless you have someone with you. In that case, you can pop your front wheels up on the curb and have someone lift the rear with the push handles which is a much smoother transition.

[@ahmednoor5957]

I hurt my head try to do this

[@MommyCassReborns]

thank-you this is super helpful. I am an ambulatory wheelchair user and no one teaches me this stuff! welp I just might give it a try on a small curb.

[@kotonohakatsura6930]

:/ i hate this. No matter how hard I try I won't be able to do this. Because i have also problems with my visions . ;/

[@upperboard]

whats that yellow thing on your cushion side?

[@HabrenOdinsdottir]

I'm really new to being in a wheelchair and I am utterly terrified of curbs and trying to navigate public transport. Any tips on getting over these fears? I'd really like to leave the house by myself.

[@sharonwalters3439]

I'm a woman and I don't know how to do no Willie I can do a small curve like the one you're doing now getting up on it and coming down off of it but anything bigger than that it intimidates me and I've been wheelchair-bound for 12 years I pretty much mastered everything but a willy

[@pheenix135]

Thank you so much for this, my multiple conditions have got me to the point where I literally can't leave the house unless I have my wheelchair, and I'm not good enough with it on curbs etc to do it without someone pushing me

[@ParalyzedLiving]

Practice makes perfect but be careful as you are learning. Having someone spot you at first is always a good idea.

[@pheenix135]

@@ParalyzedLiving thank you I will 😊 Also going to find a safe place to practice as my road is on a slope

[@PaulDiLillo]

in my manual wheelchair I never attempt going up or down a curb in FORWARD, I always go BACKWARD in the wheelchair utilizing the BIG wheel's power to prppel me without any fear of tipping over!

[@JackInAction]

Great video! This video helped inspire me to make a curb jump tutorial! :) Thanks for the great tips! :)

[@Mr_Techroid]

How do u deal with ramps going up? I can easily go down.. up is my issue with this type of wheelchair

[@ParalyzedLiving]

Probably the 2nd to the last curb...I wouldn't try going up the biggest one for fear that I would kill my wheels and tires.

[@ParalyzedLiving]

Feel free to click on my username and select "send private message." I will be happy to answer any questions!

[@ParaTiffany]

Usually going down backwards works well for me.... What about jumping up high curbs? Those curbs in the video are low...

[@MatthewPeel]

Bigger curbs work the same way. You go faster and make sure you pull your casters up high enough to clear the curb.

[@maggiemartinez4320]

That helps a lot Brian. I always have a hard time with getting up and down curves. This was very helpful thank you

[@ParalyzedLiving]

Practice practice! I'm telling you this is one of the best skills to have.

[@paullaw6988]

Hi Brian, how are you? Awesome job with your video! Keep em coming. You are a very kind man. Keep it up. Kind regards, from, PaulLaw.

[@Vosara]

Thanks for the quiet, accurate and great exercises and tips! Great lessons. Thanks Brian!

[@thenetherone1597]

Your video just put my sister back in action, Thankyou very much

[@marneysmithies8558]

thanks for posting so many great videos, well done. I am sure they will help a lot of people who are new to wheelchairs, or physiotherapists and such. plus a good refresher for people like me 30+ years as a para. Cheers

[@amandapacheco1457]

Bro you videos are amazing I get so much info from you man it really help please contact me have some real wheelchair problems and have some ? For you man

[@newby1627]

Can you do a video on how to hold the wheelie after coming off the curb. Tis would be practice for tackling stairs. Thanks.

[@Lisa.274wheels]

That's one thing I've a habit of stuffing up is kerbs you'd think after a lifetime I'd have it down but no think it's due to the curveture of my spine

[@keltiqrennee]

gosh you make it look so easy I've tried and I fall it I don't know how many times and I just can't seem to do it and I can't seem to get the wheelies down either ARG

[@donnajillsharpe-myers1987]

Thanks Man. I'm new at this and you made it look o easy. Has anyone ever put skater trucks on the front to make it a smoother ride? Cheers mate

[@8605kittykat]

so what is the highest curb that you can get over, the curb at the very end looked like it could bust a bike tire no offence, my dad has been in a wheelchair for over 12 yrs now

[@evilrubberducky92]

Hi how do you get the front casters off the ground? I have never been able to do it

[@Kronikman07]

Hey man, you are a huge inspiration to me. I had gotten into my accident in the middle of August in 2012. Right now I just don't have the drive to do any of the stuff I need to to better myself but after watchin you I totally need to, and I was super embarrassed with doing things that paraplegics do. I think I'm a t12 complete, I have an muscles and back muscles but have no feelif right around waist line. I actually would like to talk to you a lot, if you could mssg that's be cool,I'm outta spce

[@kristihogue2357]

Hi. I’ve been in a chair for 3 years. Lupus attacked my spinal cord and I’m a T4. I have zero chair skills, I’m embarrassed I don’t know any! I get so freaked out w wheelies. I still have my “training wheels” on! Beginners tips?

[@trailerc8598]

Sup bro I’m a t3 t4 I’m new to this

[@angelirvin21]

Hi I am getting my 1st Tilite soon and am interested in learning how to handle my wheelchair better. I have Cerebral Palsy which i different than paralysis, but I know your level of injury is at the chest. I have weak abs and I would like to know how to hold a wheelie

[@rindusty]

if possible...can you describe the motion you use to pop the wheelie while you are moving to build momentum. Is it just a quick fwd-bwd-fwd motion?

[@kotonohakatsura6930]

I always came back to check my skills.

[@nourdinaitmelloul2212]

Thank you

[@beyoncefan2382]

can you do that safely in heavier wheelchairs? i've only seen it done in chairs with the smaller back supports like what you are using. that looks so scary but good to know that it's possible to do if necessary

[@dasalsakid]

yes, this video series is great. also contact me if you need more resources for SCI. there's the Reeve Foundation and a lot of groups like "Disability Coalition" on Facebook.

[@88zwthomp]

I have always followed ur videos. Craig is where I did my rehab! Accident June 09' Got out Feb 10'. Craig is a great place. C6 Quad. Got hand surgery next month at Swedish to gain function back in my right hand! Thanks for the uploads!

[@112rider]

The step out of my house is probably 5-8 inches. But i use the doorway to pull myself in. And wheelie out

[@ReyOfLight]

Practice practice practice :) Before you know it, you'll do fine without anti tip wheels and wheeling around like a pro!

[@Deepin210]

Great to see you back.....have you put back on the sporty rims?

[@shak0920]

hi Brian I am paraplegic and I am very impressed with your living. I am struggling with my weight can you help me in this case plz. I weight 52 and I want to 43kg. I am paraplegic.

[@ParalyzedLiving]

Check out my 2 workout videos. The arm bike is an excellent cardio workout for paras and it may help shed some weight. Eating better is you best bet overall.

[@paullaw6988]

Hi Brian, excellent work out. The arm bike is an excellent workout. Keep up the good work with the exercise. Kind regards, from, PaulLaw.

[@PaulButtpwbutt]

isn't it easier when coming down the kerb to go backward ie. Big wheels first..

[@Jana-fc4gl]

Paul Butt It is but it takes why more time and doesn't work everywhere. That's how I currently handle curbs and I barely manage to get across the street before the traffic lights turn red again

[@ForTheLoveOfBooksx00]

do your legs ever get painful sensations?

[@glumGlumm]

Nice wheel chair. Those carbon fiber wheels

[@bowtiebabe12]

Awesome job with the videos! Keep em coming! =)

[@88zwthomp]

They look like Spinergy SPOX

[@casanova1588]

good vedeo .are u married my freind

[@BEAViS_1221]

Thanks for your new videos :)

[@Pamvian]

What kind of wheelchair do you have?

[@brams734]

hi..... u are so inspiring

[@Ahmad-ep6sl]

Is it possible to break the axle because i wana learned you're right there is no Wheelchier ramp evrywhere i go

[@ParalyzedLiving]

+Ahmad Hijazi Anything is possible but I highly doubt it. I've been doing it for years with zero issues.

[@Ahmad-ep6sl]

+Paralyzed Living i have aluminium Wheelchier is it strong

[@paullaw6988]

Hi Brian, keep up the good work with the video. Keep on practising. Keep up the good work. Kind regards, from, PaulLaw.

[@mrvideosfull]

good video men..

[@O23pSt]

Good video

[@hamilton2861]

if ure paralised how do u feel like shitting?????

[@comicstwisted]

parkour!