HOW TO PUSH A WHEELCHAIR

I teach wheelchair pushing and door opening techniques for beginners. ♿️Wheelchair Basics Playlist ♿️bit.ly/2MjOZcs ⬛️OFFICIAL MERCH ⬛️ shopwheels2walking.com
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[@FeralWench]

I've literally been in a wheelchair since I was a child, and even I didn't know about some of these techniques! I almost had a panic attack when I thought you were going to roll down those stairs! You scared me! haha

[@alexandervashchuk7795]

There is a technique to go down by holding a bar

[@dachadoodle7146]

And you can also go up by pulling yourself & the chair up with the railing and stuff and also you can just go down in a wheelie.

[@danielford7377]

Why use the word “literally’?

[@KrTrip74]

LMFAO.. same here! 🤣🤔😎

[@felaciabarrieII]

I use to know a quad who could go down and up a flight of stairs without any trouble.

[@TwitchyMoth]

thank you for telling everyone that wheelchairs aren't prisons. I was so happy getting my chair. Cause uh I didn't have an injury I'm chronically ill. It has been so long since I could just go places.

[@sarablackwolfdancer9359]

Noel TheTree I'm trying to get Medicare to pay for my ultralight, but they want me to be using it 100% of the time. I'm ambulatory, but as Richard said, just because I CAN walk doesn't mean there aren't any consequences.

[@rtlamb]

I totally agree! Sitting at home feeling sorry for my silly self was the real prison! My wheelchair is my ticket to freedom and passport to normal life!

[@rtlamb]

@@sarablackwolfdancer9359 Oh man I know that dance real well! Medicaid had me spinning around the bush uselessly for months until I went to the VA and got what I needed in a timely manner!

[@askurmom1]

Put a finger in their butt. It will create some sort of action. P.s. they may put you in a psyc ward, but, it's worth it if you have nothing better to do. Lol.

[@TwitchyMoth]

@@sarablackwolfdancer9359 yeaaah. I didn't get someone to pay for mine cause I also use part time. I can walk a bit. Its just horrid and dangerous. I had to pay for it by my self

[@kartikjoshi2052]

“Once you get so good in the wheelchair, the wheelchair fades away..” Thank you so much this. You have brought so much reassurance to a worried mind and a chronically ill person on steady decline.

[@Techrideretc.6793]

No way! I watched this video in case I have POTS,you are not alone in this. I felt like I could not stand to put my service dogs gear so I sat down and put it on and let tell you I wish I had a wheelchair this summer

[@StalkAlexHere]

For some of us, gloves are absolutely necessary! I use a chair because of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which causes frequent dislocations; without my gloves, I dislocated my thumbs while pushing and shoulders when stopping. Don’t hate on the gloves! 😋

[@motionless_horizon]

I've got EDS as well! I hope you're doing alright!

[@mindoffliv5976]

Just got a wheely for my spEDS I get the feeling EDS isn't that rare after all 😅

[@theoctoberfarm]

My cardiologist and me think I have EDS and POTS but if I have EDS it’s definitely not that bad I’ve never dislocated anything that I know of

[@mandeehusky]

Which gloves did you buy?

[@susancolberg935]

3 of my nieces and nephews have EDS. I tested negative for that, but what I do have is Ataxia and I’m in a wheelchair for 6 yrs now.

[@WholeFoodSpark]

Having a fitted wheelchair is EVERYTHING. I wanted to add - don't over push. I have a 3 second rule. Unless I'm trying to build momentum, I do a full push and then count to 3 and let my chair roll.

[@alexandercano9285]

Carlen Boersema Cutie

[@MyNewEra2012]

Thank you for the tip 👍❤️

[@stevenm6065]

Best response when someone says slow down you might get a speeding ticket is "wouldn't be the first time"

[@lightsinthesky4989]

"And those are stairs!" I'm in my wheelchair watching this and I literally grabbed my wheels to stop 😂

[@andyg2456]

Im currently in the process of getting a wheelchair for my POTS (just waiting for insurance approval) and your videos have helped so much to make me feel more comfortable with the idea of actually using a wheelchair

[@I_AM_HYDRAA]

I am not in one but it is still interesting

[@PurpleEnbyTerminator]

Same. I don't use a wheelchair or anything but I like learning about these kinds of things. Mostly for fictional characters that I keep to myself.

[@goldenshadowyt5365]

Same

[@brandonshawn5877]

Same

[@fireandice6266]

Same

[@rullisdownhill4247]

Same here

[@valle1438]

i dont even have a wheelchair but your videos are entertaining.

[@matthewwilson9749]

Fantastic. I’d be a hermit without my wheelchair. Stigma and self made mental limitations are the hardest things to get past.

[@Wheels2Walking]

So true. My mindset kept me hidden away for years. Glad I made it out 🤗

[@labschi]

It's a little bit embarrassing to say this in public, but you guys are the best support group I never had, so thanks a lot 😊😅

[@edgehaedjr]

I sent this video to my best friend who uses a wheelie to get around because of CP. I jokingly asked him if he can do any tricks on his (because of what Richard said at around the six minute mark). It led him ranting for about like 30 minutes at midnight. We both got great laughs, so thanks for that, Richard. Don’t puke on me, please. *runs away* 😂

[@atomicpost]

Great video. When I first got my chair all I could do was go in circles. Physical Therapy wouldn’t teach me any basic techniques. It’s like getting a car for a 16 yo but not teaching them how to drive. Keep making more cool videos.

[@marielawrence8992]

I watched this video a couple of days ago before getting my first chair yesterday, and it was insanely helpful. I was half-dreading getting my first chair, but being able to feel like I was nailing the basics from the get go gave me a massive rush and I kinda forgot that I was ever bothered about it. So yeah, day one's achievements are unlocked, thank you for starting me off in a place of confidence, it really makes all the difference.

[@labschi]

I was born disabled, but I started to use my wheelchair more often for the last year. I think I've to practise your door opening techniques some day! Thanks for that, Richard! Btw, I bought bike gloves because the rubber on my pushwheels ripped of my skin. Way more fashionable as wheelchair gloves, I think 😉 Cheers, Matt

[@ChrisPage68]

Yep, mine are bike gloves, but they have tacky palms for better grip.

[@estranho]

My workout glove is always on my left hand when I go out and expect to be pushing more then 200’. Only way to make it up through the entire LV NV strip. But it’s getting harder & harder to where I’m considering going electric!

[@MarcusBlau]

from one wheelchair user to another, imho that's your best video by far...

[@ChrisPage68]

This is how you can easily spot non-disabled actors stealing work from Disabled actors - they over-do the pushing with those short, inefficient push strokes - and I'll have you know MY wheelchair gloves are VERY fashionable! 😋

[@danielconiff8178]

Get yourself some Fox mountain bike gloves!

[@nailpolish3871]

They aren’t stealing work from disabled actors, it’s acting they’re playing the role

[@Maples01]

Yeah, he missed that most often, pushing gripping the tires, your hands dry out, so application of lotion means no push, so you wear gloves, keeps my hands from drying out and cracking, look at a quads hands, cracked up looking like open wounds.

[@Maples01]

@@nailpolish3871 But would it kill them to hire a real disabled actor!

[@LarrySonOfMilton]

@@nailpolish3871 it *is* stealing for abled actors to do this in mainstream films and television. abled actors get to play disabled and abled roles. disabled actors don't get to play abled roles, but get shut out of disabled roles by abled actors 😒 abled actors taking both roles is basically saying acting as a profession only belongs to abled people-I can see it being okay in a small community production, but in the mainstream? no way. let disabled actors shine!

[@Dimbel12]

i have a friend in a wheelchair, he is faster with his chair that i am with my two legs. he alwasy gives me a good workout when we go out to do something

[@Staren01]

I wish more people outside wheelchair users understood this. Going slow is actually harder usually. We either have to use those quick short pushes, or we have to constantly manage the chair by braking and maneuvering. Gliding along at a natural pace is much less effort.

[@tantricjeffanie]

As someone who had a sci in 1995 ( 5 years old) and been living independently since I was 18, I think it's so amazing that this kind of video exists. It would have been awesome to see relatable people growing up 👌keep it up man!

[@ChrisPage68]

Growing up in the 70s, you hardly saw Disabled people in public, never mind on TV.

[@sarablackwolfdancer9359]

One exception to the glove/tire grip, if your hands can't get a good enough grip on the pushrims. I have global neuro issues and my hands are fairly weak. I carry hand sanitizer and I usually use gloves if I'm going out for a roll in the neighborhood. It's not stylin' but it's coping with the grip problems.

[@loretta62baca]

That's his opinion on them being stylish. You don't have to impress the world. May our Heavenly Father bless you and keep you safe in all you do. In the holy name of his beloved son and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Amen.❤❤

[@ivarnordlkken8082]

I use glowes in the winter, it's too cold in 10 F.

[@peaceonearth351]

They should use this video in rehabs across the country for newly injured people. It would've helped me back in 89'. I can't believe it's been 30 years now. I commend you in helping and instructing people who are new to this.

[@tonyb92681]

I don't use a chair, but your videos have had a secondary impact on me--it makes me more aware of my world in that it makes me think about my environment from a different perspective, and that is value that can't be counted. For example, I was at a home warehouse store that has so many items in the aisles that there is no way someone in a chair can get around the store. Really frustrated me.

[@patrickdewhirst8125]

4 years old, yet relevant today, at least relevant to my future needs, you have given me hope.

[@byronsutherland1706]

I became disabled in 2005 and learned a lot from your video.

[@drew2982]

Great video Richard, it’s so refreshing to see videos made by someone who really understands what new wheelchair users are going through. I am currently working on my wheelie and I’m looking forward to that video too!

[@HParadoxa]

I'm waiting for the health insurance to respond to my demand of mobility aid and I'm so impatient to have my first wheelchair. There's not a week I'm not thinking "this would have been easier/possible if I had a chair". I'm looking forward to go out on dates with my partner again !

[@jessielopez1793]

Alistair, same! I’m having to jump through insurance hoops to get mine, too. I’m very excited for having my new tool and being able to practice and become proficient!

[@MyNewEra2012]

I live in Germany now since my husband is German. I hate it over here, he's the only reason for me to be here BUT I must say that once he picked up the phone and started to do all the paperwork regarding my disability, things started to go quite quickly and I received my wheelchair cca. 3 weeks since the application for disability pass. And the special hospital bed and equipment for bathroom we've received even earlier. Life is much easier now and I'm so very happy to go outside again 😍I wish you all the best 🍀❤️

[@HParadoxa]

I got my wheel chair last month ! So, yeah, it took a year and half... But I'm super happy with it and I try not to think to much about the time I lost 😭

[@MyNewEra2012]

@@HParadoxa omg 🤦 you must be kidding 😡😡 can you move without a wheelchair at all? How did you survive it without it?

[@HParadoxa]

Yes luckily I can. I don't need my wheelchair inside and outside I've been using a cane or a walker but it's definitely more pain and less freedom for me. Basically in France there an institution called the MDPH to which you need to send and 30 pages file to review about your disability and they can grant disbaility benefits and funding for things like wheel chair. National insurance covers 500€ for wheelchair, MDPH aswell, and my personal insurance wouldn't fund me before I had a % of disability from the MDPH. Sadly the MDPH function is a nightmare + it's very understaffed, so it took the a year and a half to review my file. I could've bought a wheelchair without waiting but it would have cost me around 3000€ more than it did after I did all this so...

[@ineedabetterusername4803]

I'm starting my first day using my chair outside at school. And this is such a lifesaver

[@UnsolicitedThoughtsOfARose]

I have multiple progressive diseases and have to get my first chair soon. I am so thankful for your videos at this time to help me feel a bit less lost.

[@MomOfBoysNOLA]

I was injured from PT and walking causes extreme pain in my entire pelvis. I have decided to try a wheel chair so I can do more and have less pain. I'm going to look through your videos because my whole world is changing and I want to set me house up as much as possible to have more freedom.

[@saramessore9197]

I’m getting a second hand lightweight custom wheelchair this week! I’m so nervous, but with the help of your videos and others, it is helping me feel more confident.

[@adelita2023]

May i ask what happened

[@BelebayChan]

I've been in a chair for three days now. I can still walk (shuffle) short distances, but can't even get to my mailbox. My doctors are closed due to covid and I'm having to learn all this myself. Your videos are helping me gain the confidence to try. Your little speech at the end of this one brought me to tears because you basically said it's OK to not be OK, and I think I needed to hear that. So thank you

[@dizzieb8161]

My illness traps me , wheelchair means I can go past the corner shop and actually have a life

[@GelaWikoff]

I'm so glad I found your channel. I've had issues with mobility for a few years now and it really limits what I can do. Currently I use a cane, but I can only walk for so long before I'm in too much pain to go any farther. I've been thinking about investing in a wheelchair to gain some freedom back. Can you make a video about what to do when buying your first wheelchair? I'm so lost.

[@Wheels2Walking]

Yes I have one coming in a few weeks!

[@pamrandles-yo2wl]

I got my wheelchair today. I've borrowed one a couple of times, but this one is all mine, though I am an ambulatory user. Found this video and what a joy! I'm looking forward to getting out and about, getting some exercise! (With my rollator I just shuffle). And very much looking forward to scaring the bejeezus out of my husband doing wheelies 😁 Thanks for the words at the end too. That helps a lot.

[@daveperkinsjr]

Great selfless service to new users. Kudos to you

[@unetherized]

I was told I couldn't get any aids (walker, chair) without meeting with a physical therapist, and they're not available until 8 weeks from now. But I can't walk today. Thanks to videos like yours on KZbin, and secondhand equipment from craigslist and ebay, I am finding ways to get through my basic needs. I'm so grateful.

[@kevingriffin143]

Richard!!!!! It's kevin , in maine.....no captions!!! So, being deaf, my work around ....turn the volume up on the tablet and play it into voice recognition software in pc...it's not perfect but it's a way to get the job done, easier with captions for sure. On scale of 1 to 10, you dropped to a 9, want that point of love back ...episode 2 needs captions. Being new to a chair I need this!!! Sincerely kevin

[@Wheels2Walking]

I’m aware and working on a solution. KZbin just changed their backend for captions and I haven’t figured it out yet. It’s a mess. I had a feeling I’d get some comments from my HOH friends 👍🏻

[@jadengoodwin2006]

Caption work form me

[@YarginFlargin]

This is one of your best informational videos for new chair users. Always do good work!

[@Justaskdammit]

Fuck man this honestly made me tear up in the best way possible. Thank you for these videos and what you do. For months now I’ve felt like my life is basically over..but hearing and seeing you is changing the game for me mentally and I’ve got the biggest grin on my face thinking about picking out a wheelchair now thanks to you. I’m legit excited about it! Haven’t checked the rest of your channel yet (this is the first video I saw) but I’m really really hoping that you’ve got some chair recommendations.

[@Wheels2Walking]

Hey dude glad you’re so moved and excited for a chair! I have that video coming really soon “how to pick a wheelchair” it’s been shot and now in editing :)

[@Wheelchair-Andy]

I have watched this video multiple times as I am receiving my first manual wheelchair this week. I am transitioning from an electric wheelchair to a REHASENSE Icon 60. Thank you very much for sharing this video.

[@migueloharasleftboob]

my oc uses a wheelchair occasionally and this is useful to try and imagine him better! it's really cool what we can do with a wheelchair and is definitely not an obstacle to live with

[@kannang9715]

Thank you so much for teaching the basics! I recently broke my femur and this wheelchair thing is new to me.

[@insertcheesypunhere]

im a soon to be ambulatory wheelchair user who is choosing to get a wheelchair to avoid chronic pain. seeing tips that are so encouraging and practical is really helpful. im so excited to get my chair and start moving around without wanting to cut my feet off at the end of the day.

[@antheaferrell]

I was watching this on behalf of my other half who is in a wheelchair and had never been taught how to use it. I think your video will be extremely helpful. Thank you. Xx

[@ellerj641]

I am currently using a wheelchair that I got at a thrift store for a, as of right now, temporary injury/back problem. I haven't done the pole trick yet, but I have been using my counters and nearby stuff to turn myself around without having to use the wheels. I caught myself yesterday in the thrift store using the clothes to turn around or to keep myself straight when moving forward little by little as I was looking. I would grab a handful so I wasn't pulling too much on the clothes then would turn around, or hold onto the clothes while using my other hand to push forward. Thank you for mentioning the push and strides. I am working on trying to coast in-between each push, but since it's not the best wheelchair and I need to work on my upper body strength quite a bit, I don't coast very well. It also doesn't help that I have a tear in my C6/7 spine which affects my right arm. It can cause me a lot of pain trying to push myself in a chair though I need the chair because of the other back injury/problem I'm having. I also liked when you mentioned to start with your hand much farther back before you push and the oval method. I am guilty of starting at the top then lifting my arms back up to push myself again.

[@xitclalli]

tell my why today after eight years in a wheelchair I ask myself “am I pushing myself wrong” than this pops up I love this

[@katiekoehn310]

Thanks for posting a video for beginners! I just got my first chair less than a week ago. I was so excited because I have a chronic illness that prevents me from doing much walking or standing, but they just sat me in it and sent me on my way. I have no idea what I am doing, but with this video I can actually be efficient and not injure myself again.

[@AstraCalypso]

I am an ambulatory wheelchair user who is fairly new to using one regularly. I have been stuck in a poorly fitting wheelchair for the last several months. BUT i have my evaluation for a personally fitting chair Thursday! these tips are super helpful and i am going to keep watching cause im super scared to do this. i may have to use a chair the rest of my life....

[@ReyOfLight]

Having been a chair user for 6,5 years now, and being passionate about wheelchair skills, all I could do was nod in agreement to it all in the video lol I do prefer pushing doors open rather than pulling though, but that’s down to my condition as pulling things can pull more than just a door 😂 I’ve had my shoulder partially out more than once from opening heavy doors 😇 I push a door open by pushing with my feet and then use side of my arm to keep door open, it’s the most gentle way for me personally. I don’t slalom down a slope all that often because most of the time it’s just too narrow (if it’s a wheelchair ramp) but I have side guards that have a rubber top on them so you can push it down onto the tire and use both the rims and side guards to slow down. Still have to be careful doing that though, it can get damn hot on your hands through the side guards because of the friction between tire and side guard! I’m also one of those who don’t wear gloves much, I only wear them if it’s wet or cold, or both, or if my hands are having a rough day so I need the padding and extra grip that gloves provide. I don’t use wheelchair gloves though, I user workers gloves made for construction work or similar, they can take a beating and a half before getting worn out and they have very good grip, and I have versions for both summer and winter. Because of my crippled overly hypermobile hands I also changed push rims last year from 19mm titanium rims to the Surge rims, Surge is absolutely brilliant! My only complaint about them is that they’re very slippery where there isn’t rubber, and that the rubber lane on it becomes slippery after a while as well. I’m still trying to find a solution to the slippery rubber lane issue on mine, so for now I use gloves most of the time both due to weather and for better grip as my hands tends to drop a few F bombs at me if I try to propel much. In the process of getting a Smart Drive at the moment because my genetic disorder has gotten to the point where I just can not push manually like I used to, and I need a helping push more than before. So yeah, in the process to get a Smart Drive which I think will be the perfect aid for me as it doesn’t require you to put the axle behind you, and it doesn’t prevent you from doing wheelies, and it also doesn’t make your wheelchair weigh about 25-30kg in total like e-motion and similar solutions do as each wheel then weighs about as much as the chair itself (or more), a Smart Drive weighs some 5-6kg which is a lot more manageable and it has a handle on it for easier transfers.

[@helenwood8482]

Thanks for this. I've been using a wheelchair for over a year whilst recovering from almost losing my left foot. Some of this, I had figured out along the way, but a lot of it is really going to make things easier. I used to walk 8 miles for fun. It's been hard, adjusting to this new life at 53. In the next few days, I'm getting a better wheelchair and this video makes me feel like I can be more adventurous.

[@SumanaTKCyrah]

I'm not in a wc, but I like learning new things and seeing people expand their lives. Really, this helps me in my thoughts of others in positive. Thanks

[@samlamacq5629]

I'm waiting for my wheelchair and at the moment I am hiring one that is not designed for me, I can walk but I constantly fall down. Thank you for making this video I no longer feel embarrassed or ashamed to need one. I was ashamed because I thought I would be a burden on my family.

[@raphaelmorgan2307]

I actually clicked on this video because I *have* used a wheelchair before and it was exhausting 😭 I wanted to know what I was doing wrong, and I think the techniques you showed will help (along with practice obvs because that'll strengthen my arms and/or core)

[@Queencrazy1997]

I got my first wheelchair at 3 years old and I still found this useful at 26.

[@bridgettetzlaff6837]

I don’t need a wheelchair to live every single day. But it’s nice when I go on trips. This video helped a lot thanks

[@bluespinsix6987]

I started with a horrible and uncomfortable insurance chair. It got mostly destroyed in the learning process. I have figured out most of this stuff but, still learned quite a bit from your videos. Thanks for the content. Time to go practice.

[@RoadkillbunnyUK]

I am part time between wheeled walker and wheelchair due to progressive Neurological condition and I am learning to use my wheelchair to give me independence, at the moment I don’t have a fitted chair, just a bog standard that makes pushing hard and I live at the top of a steep hill. The hill tips given here are going to be really helpful and I’m saving to get a better chair. I’m still trying to walk with frame where I can but if I want to do more than just get to and from the shops a couple of times a week I need to improve my chair skills. Got some physio coming up to work on the body strengthening I need.

[@leofultz151]

I’m getting a wheelchair tomorrow, so I very much appreciate this video. Thank you!

[@redisthecoolestcolour]

Trialling a wheelchair tomorrow as I'm exhausted from using my rollator. I think switching to a wheelchair will save energy from using my lower body less. Thank you for all the tips and tricks, I'm excited & nervous, but feel more confident now. (6:34 is hilarious)

[@noob_duck1454]

i have eds and the pain is getting worse so i'm looking into getting a wheelchair, this was very useful

[@lilh9984]

Had to pause this video to say you're my freakin hero right now! I'm losing mobility and about to get my first wheelchair. Thank you so much! Subscribed!

[@DreamBnet]

ive been in a wheelchair for over 10 years and even i learned something thanks

[@ItsEm2022]

First reaction when this video came up on Instagram, I said yay a new Wheels2walking video! I never came to a video so fast!! Love this channel. #NotificationSquad

[@patriciosilva1969]

Oh, the bloody heavy doors are mastered here, thank you! Those heavily sprung doors are my biggest challenge.

[@mags_9532]

Ive been in a wheel chair for 5 months. Heavily relying on the "blast and run" door opening at this point. It's really comforting to see this community ❤ Thank you

[@astralb.2647]

My wheelchair arrived two days ago, so I'm VERY new to this, as I had a pushchair before. This video has been very informative! Thanks

[@leopendergast4326]

i just got a chair for the first time and i'm now able to go long distances without pain. thank you for saying that wheelchairs are not prisons, it helps to hear that :)

[@AddisonC1987]

Thank for the videos, I always love watching them. Your videos have helped me build more confidence not only in my wheelchair skills but also in my disability acceptance. I've had to use a wheelchair periodically for about 14 years now, and being a "part-time" wheelchair user, I fight with myself about when I should use my chair or if I should just push through the pain (when it's an option). Your videos have helped me to quieten that inner voice and live life alittle better. (My kids thank you also, because I get bitchy when I'm in pain😎)

[@ortizemily]

Holy hell, this video is a game changer. You’re one of a kind on KZbin, definitely for the wheels community! Thanks for sharing your bust and run and other invaluable tips. Excited for the next installment especially since I’m still trying to master the wheelie. 🤙🏽

[@ettinakitten5047]

The way you open doors is pretty much exactly the way my friend with spina bifida used to. He and I were friends with a girl with CP who had a lot more trouble with doors - she could open them, but it took her a lot of effort. They apparently got some funny looks when he'd open doors for her!

[@rienamonroe4262]

Slowly losing my legs in my 40s I was so upset about a wheelchair but today I pushed myself for the first time in a while … I have been very ill heart related… but being able to push myself was so exhilarating… thanks for this video bc going downhill today was a little wild for me 😂😂😂😂👍🏼

[@harrydavies2625]

I've been using my chair for 4 years now and I still learnt

[@RichelleHeacock]

Thank you so much! I was paralyzed 12 years ago C4/5. But I am trying a manual wheelchair for the first time!

[@Man-O-Little-Tan]

This is so helpful I just got a wheelchair and i was actually able to use it right away instead of trying to figure out how for the whole day

[@biggerersk6233]

Your awesome man! Love your videos

[@veronikitty7685]

As an OTA student, your video is a really good resource for wheelchair techniques and community mobility. Thanks for the tips!

[@GoldenFlame]

i have been in a wheelchair for 6 years but i was still interesting in what you were telling the newer people, i think you gave the good and right advise

[@gingermonkey83]

I am getting a chair for ambulatory use. I have it in progress but I have struggled with if this is the right decision. I went to a hardware store today and used their crappy chair (it was bad!)but Richard, you gave me the tools to use it properly and confidently. I felt like I could actually enjoy the excursion and I wasn’t worn out on a less then awesome day. My wife said wait until you have your chair that fits you right. I now have some hope in a less then perfect situation that I can get some life back. Thank you for doing what you do!

[@Roo_theservicedog]

Thank you so much for making this, my disability’s and chronic pain and chronic illness have been stripping my independence away... Luckily I have an amazing service dog who is the best but it has gotten so bad that I am now I’m a wheelchair, it really hit my mental health but this video made me smile! All those tips where awesome and helpful! Again I have a service dog who helps pull me when I’m in a pain flare or just exhausted but these still helped a ton even with my pup by my side! Thank you so much for making videos like this I’m glad I found this amazing channel and it’s lifted a ton of stress off my back! People who new me before and with a wheelchair now think I’m faking it and it’s been hard but your video and my new wheelchair has given me hope. Now I’m able to do more things on my own and with these new tips and tricks I’ll be even more independent!

[@l.donaldson4223]

I learned some stuff for sure! I've been using a chair for almost a year but it doesn't fit right (I'm getting a new one), but there was a bunch of stuff in here I didn't know, interspersed with your great humor as usual. Thanks!

[@brianreynolds7176]

FlyGirl I can help you way more than these video s

[@alexandercano9285]

Cutie.

[@adelita2023]

May I ask what happened

[@elizabethkeenan9074]

IAM 63 YR OLD WOMAN I HAVE STARTED USING A WHEEL CHAIR YOU R TEACHING ME SOME GD IDEAS THANK YOU VERY MUCH ,IT CAN BE QUITE TAUNTING AT TIMES TAKE CARE

[@royeby3640]

THANK YOU I've been in a wheelchair for a few years now. I wish the physical therapist would have shown me back then, what you have taught me about the doors and how to go up and down a hill. That's a really BIG deal! Any suggestions about grocery shopping? I'm retired from the military and it is really... humbling... to me. My bones throughout my body are deteriorating. Fingers, hands, elbows, back, knees, and feet all hurt and coming apart. I have seen the people in the Burn Center, at BAMC, Ft Sam, from IEDs. I know their is no comparison. It's just very, very... humbling... Thank you.

[@yvonnejohnson1004]

The first time I went out in public using a wheelchair I was dreading it. I’ve got Pots, ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia, Atrial Fibulation, Sjogrens Syndrome etc and since a Pots related faint in 2018, breaking many bones, I can’t walk, weight bear, bend my knee and got a dropped foot. Then I was diagnosed with CRPS and nerve damage. I’d got a dental appointment and I managed to get into our car. My husband took my handbag and put the Wheelchair into the boot. We parked near the dentist and I got back into my wheelchair and I asked where my handbag was. My husband looking sheepish, said it was on top of the wall outside our house. I told him to go back and see if it was still there and I’d make my own way to the dentist. It was on a busy main road with a lots of traffic so off I went, unfortunately I hadn’t experienced Adverse Cambers on the footpaths. I was sent towards the road and then down someone’s driveway. I had to fight to stay on the path and then I was in front of the dentist. I was so pleased to see that instead of steps there was a concrete ramp. I tried to get up it but it was too high and I kept rolling back down I decided to try going up backwards but luckily two patients had been watching me and came out to help me. I never had time to feel nervous and luckily my husband came in with my handbag in a plastic carrier bag. It’s a man thing! Lol.

[@trackcoachmac]

Thank you so much! After crappy knee surgery I've been really bummed. Been in it for 2 of 8 weeks. Your message at the end really helped when I was feeling really down. Thank you so much! I will never take this for granted.

[@HueyOcoee]

Thank you I was recently Hit by a car walking home And now I'm in a chair.

[@rayr8530]

I've been using a chair all my life and even I don't know this, they should teach this things. I am trying to gain more independence so that starts with with research. Thank you for your videos! Bless you!

[@cydneyhartwell8295]

I‘m getting my first wheelchair tomorrow and i‘m so nervous about going out on my own. Your videos are really helpful, so thank you. Thank you for showing me and others that I can still live my life even with this new and slightly scary chapter starting

[@yagirl3612]

How’s it going so far?

[@1butterflyflying986]

Thanks so much for creating Wheels to walking Richard. I have been been binge watching all of your videos and all the info you give and I have gained some info even after transitioning from crutches to a w/c over 10yrs ago. Keep going Richard [even though it's really hard sometimes] as these videos are helpful to ALL w/c users, even us "mature" users in small town in Australia. Enjoy your day! Smiles, Jen 🙂

[@koltonsmith141]

Omggg the build the wall button made me bust out laughing 😂😂😂😂😂👌🏻 i also got chills listing to the peep talk at the end 💯❤️

[@lilypads17]

i just got a chair like. today and this is so helpful, i was so worried about turning more than anything else. i had to get it for free of kijiji because no mobility aids are covered by the province unless you're on disability so it's not perfect but its SOMETHING and i am so glad i found you. thank you king you do great work

[@oaks.l4134]

Thanks for this! Got my chair recently and I can’t wait to go to a mall for the first time in almost a decade, for me my chair rlly means freedom for the first time in a long time. Ah i can’t wait. Thanks for the door tips, I’ve been having trouble on solo trips!

[@vanessavanderkramer6588]

Such a helpful vlog! Thanks Richard! I’m so bad at wheeling around and still trying to increase shoulder strength. These tips are gold. Love your vlogs!

[@Its_Kirsten_Love]

I’m 18 and have been a wheelchair user for almost 2 years now. I wish I would have had a helpful video like this to watch whenever I first started using my wheelchair. So I’m glad it’s up now for others who need the help can see it!

[@katec2922]

Brand new wheelchair user currently part time use with the future needs unknown. Thank you so much for this video, clear helpful instructions to help me learn how to use my chair when needed without exhaustion in my arms (my first outing was an epic exhausting fail and after watching this I now know why and aren’t dreading the next time I need it). Will be saving this video so I can rewatch to learn it all until it becomes second nature). Thanks so much

[@hellgonwheels8799]

Great video! I learned most of this on a course in Norway called active wheelchair, but I love the fact that your videos makes me able to spread this info to others

[@taylorthorsness3488]

This helped me A LOT thank you so much for making these videos!

[@MrDvernon]

I started using a chair a year ago and your channel helped a lot. I rarely comment on videos but if I'd come across THIS video when I started it would have made a LOT of things easier. Reading the comments so far there are clearly a LOT of people that appreciate your channel. Well done mate (from Melbourne). Thanks!

[@BONA7902]

informative and fun. I'm in the health field and never realized the obstacles my patients face. thanks.

[@imjustwolf]

I've been in a wheelchair since I was 3 (22+ years in the chair) and I didn't even know all these tips... thanks for the advice! As for the stairs, I thoughts you just about died... I'm not sure if you did that knowing the stairs were there, but it was fun to see the reaction nonetheless.

[@lebenaufraedern]

I wish I had this videod (or such a good teacher) as I was starting to use a wheelchair five years ago! I mostly hat to figure out by myself how to push and turn and all of that. I'm sure, I will use many of your tips. Thank you sooo much!