You will never want to get up
Whether you spend a majority of your time in a wheelchair or you only use it as needed, these wheelchair seat cushions will make your wheelchair your favorite place to be. In fact, you might even want to put these cushions on other seats, like your car, your favorite recliner, your office chair, and/or your dining room chairs.
Unless you are an angel in disguise, you have probably never sat on a cloud, this cushion is as close as you can get to what you imagine sitting on a cloud would feel like. Comfortable, supportive, and cool. You will hear harps playing as soon as you sit down.
With gel-infused memory foam, the cushion reacts to every shift in weight. Having a cushion that forms to your body is especially helpful when you spend a lot of time seated. The memory foam also provides firm support without being too soft. It can help prevent sores that are extremely painful and can get infected.
Wait a minute, what is gel-infused memory foam? Memory foam is made from polyurethane with additional chemicals made to give it a high level of elasticity and viscosity. The elasticity is what allows the memory foam to return to its original shape. The viscosity is what helps the memory foam slowly conform to your body and provide support. Gel-infused memory foam, adds gel microbeads to the memory foam which makes it more breathable and moisture-wicking.
In addition to the gel beads in the memory foam which will help regulate temperature, this seat also has ventilation holes to keep you cool and comfortable while you are seated. We all know how uncomfortable it can be to sit on vinyl or nylon, which is what your wheelchair seat is probably made out of. Neither vinyl nor nylon are known for their cooling properties.
The cushion makes it easy to sit correctly and with good posture. Your coccyx, sacrum, and the 5 vertebrae above it comprise your lumbar spine. The lumbar spine bears all the weight of your core and upper body. This is why lower back pain is so prevalent and consistent. Sitting with good posture can help prevent low back pain. However, it is hard to sit correctly when you can’t get comfortable and don’t have the support you need to keep your core muscles engaged.
Sitting correctly and the support provided by the cushion evenly distribute weight across your bottom so that certain points, like your coccyx, don’t take on too much pressure. This helps reduce sores (as mentioned earlier) and osteoporosis and arthritis.
Adding a lumbar support cushion will only increase your comfort while seated. The support provided by the cushion alleviates lower back pain by helping maintain the natural curvature of your spine, which can assist you with maintaining good posture.
Lateral support is another area to consider depending on the type of wheelchair you have and how you fit into it. You may find that additional cushioning gives you better support, especially if you find your muscles weakening.
To prevent weakening of your muscles, move as much as possible. If you are able to get out of your wheelchair, stand up occasionally. Ensure you are moving your upper body as much as possible while in your wheelchair as well.
To further increase your comfort in your wheelchair, try adjusting your footrests. You may not realize that they are in an uncomfortable position. Try various height and width adjustments to find the right location to keep your feet in a natural position. You may also want to add cushion to your armrests.
While a gel-infused memory foam cushion is incredibly comfortable, you do not want to stay in your wheelchair all the time. Try to move to other locations such as a recliner, office chair, sofa, or dining room chair. Each of these other seating options provide different types of support. And of course, if you find yourself uncomfortable, you can always use your seat cushion wherever you are seated.
In fact, these cushions are also ideal for travel, providing support in long car rides or air planes. While car seats are improving with technology, the foam and material of your car seat probably does not offer the support you really need, especially if you are going on a road trip.
Finding ways to increase your comfort in your wheelchair can do wonders for your health. Try different cushions until you find the right level of support and comfort that you need.