Braces for Different Body Parts

If you have an elderly to look after, then you need to make sure that their joints usually function, which is not the case because, with age, the joints weaken. Most elderly people have arthritis issues. Knee arthritis is a very common type of arthritis found in these age groups. So, to enhance stability, improve balance, and reduce swelling and pressure of such joints, you need braces. Braces of any kind increase the user's confidence by providing the joint with the extra support it needs. Keep reading further to know about different kinds of braces that the elderly use for different body parts.

1. Shoulder Brace:

Shoulder braces come to use when someone has shoulder pain. It is useful if you have a separated shoulder or tear in the muscles or ligaments, which can be caused if you are sleeping in the wrong position or might have hurt your shoulders while playing. A shoulder brace is used if you have dislocated shoulder or some kind of shoulder pain or sprain. While playing or lifting something heavy, if you have rotator cuff injury, you can also use it. It should be used to protect the shoulders or while doing heavy workouts. It should not be worn all the time, but only when required. It helps stabilise shoulders, improve postures, and give extra support to the shoulders that it requires.

2. Wrist Brace:

A wrist brace is a type of assistive device worn on wrists by arthritis patients or by some people who play sports. It is used when a person has issues with the wrist like sprain, pain, etc. Using a wrist brace helps reduce the pain and swelling. It helps keep the thumb area open so you can do your daily chores like gardening, tennis, using laptops, etc. It also helps provide compression and preserve the body heat, which helps relieve inflammation.

3. Ankle Brace:

Ankle braces come to use when you feel some kind of issue with your ankle. It provides external support to limit the motions of the ankle. Also, these braces fit perfectly, which helps in a faster healing process. After an ankle injury, it becomes difficult to walk, so you need to heal that wound faster. Also, you need to give it time to heal and recover to function normally; the ankle brace comes to you to provide the ankle support your ankle needs. 

4. Knee Brace:

Knee braces are helpful to take the pressure off your knees. The elderly with arthritis are affected the most. A knee brace helps take the pressure off the knees and relieve pain. If you want knee braces for structural support, then 3 different braces can help. 

1. Functional Braces: These kinds of knee brace help protect the knee and provide additional support to the knee after an injury. 

2. Rehabilitative Braces: These kinds of braces limit the movement of the knee, helping it to rest and giving more time for recovery. 

3. Prophylactic Braces: These braces help in preventing an injury. 

Conclusion:

Knee, ankle, wrist, and shoulders are 4 joints that we use the most. So, it needs to be taken care of very well. To protect them and prevent any kind of injury or impairment to these joints, you need braces to help your elderly out. Because as they age, their joints and muscles weaken, making it difficult to function, limiting the movement of such joints. Braces come in handy in such cases; even if you have a sprain, pain or impairment in such joints, braces help. It also helps reduce pain and makes the recovery process faster. 

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4 Different Functional Accessories for Wheelchair Users

Elderly people need to be taken care of. Mobility issues are a very common problem in this age group. And because of ageing, their bones and muscles lose strength. So, as a caretaker, you need to make sure they have a wheelchair for themselves if they have mobility issues.   

So, wheelchairs help people having mobility problems to move from one place to another. It is designed in such a way to make elderly people feel comfortable and have a sense of independence while using wheelchairs. 

Also, just having a wheelchair is of no use if it is not comfortable. It is because the elderly people need to use it all day long. Therefore, you need functional wheelchair accessories to help your elderly feel more comfortable and secure. Keep reading further to know 4 different types of functional accessories for wheelchair users.

light-weighted-wheelchair

• Wheelchair Ramp:

Any wheelchair user needs a ramp to get in and out of a vehicle or a building. Lightweight wheelchairs can easily pass through ramps, but you need strong ramps which can hold even a heavy wheelchair along with an elderly sitting on it. Wheelchair ramps are easy to install and have longer durability. Permanently installing a wheelchair ramp is comfortable for the elderly to easily move in and out of the house on their own. It helps in climbing stairs of a building or some public place. It acts as an inclined plane, which you can permanently install at your house.  

• Wheels:

Wheelchairs need to have good quality wheels. That is what helps a wheelchair move smoothly. So, if you use a manual or electric wheelchair, then you need to check the wheels as it is one of the most important parts of the wheelchair. You need to ensure that the hind wheels are strong because they manage more pressure than the composite wheels. So, composite wheels require less maintenance but still need to be strong to carry elderly people. 

• Brakes:

Brakes are one of the most useful wheelchair accessories. It helps to hold a wheelchair still or make it slow down its speed. To stop the wheelchair completely, brakes are particularly important. It is needed when a wheelchair is used outdoors. Even on ramps or some other inclined planes and moving vehicles, it helps stabilize the wheelchair. It is also used while transferring an elderly into and out of a wheelchair. So that the wheelchair does not move and the user does not lose its balance and fall. It can cause falls and injuries if not used properly. As a caretaker, you need to make the wheelchair safe even in a stationary position; that is where brakes come into play. 

• Cushions:

Cushions are wheelchair accessories that are used the most. It is because a wheelchair user spends all the time on it while using the wheelchair. So, as a caretaker, you need to provide your elderly with comfortable and not itchy cushions. You need to make sure that it is sustainable and softer to use. Also, it should be convenient for the user because the user is going to use it all day long. Like a gel, a sheet can help absorb pressure, and the fabric cover helps to make the carrying process easier. Such small things make a great difference in enhancing the wheelchair experience. Also, it becomes necessary to change the fabric covers after every 2 years. 

Conclusion:

These wheelchair accessories are add-ons to a wheelchair that is necessary to use. It helps enhance the user experience by providing them with the comfort and the extra security they require while moving. It also helps them be hygienic and more socially available. It improves the posture and balancing of the wheelchair as well. You need to make sure that it is a lightweight wheelchair so that it is easy to maintain. It also helps in giving freedom and a sense of independence to the elderly. These 4 essential functional wheelchair accessories need to be used properly. Because the elderly need to use their wheelchair for a longer duration on a daily basis.  

Read More : https://essentialaids.mystrikingly.com/blog/4-different-functional-accessories-for-wheelchair-users