Do All Wheelchair Users Have Chronic Pain?

In this world, it’s tough to make too many blanket generalizations. It’s a world full of individuals, and although many of us want to fit in, none of us want to feel unoriginal. We strive to make our mark in this world, not blend in like another lemming. Why am I starting this blog article with this reflection? Because it’s vitally important that you don’t group all wheelchair users into the same category.

For instance, would you assume that all wheelchair users are paralyzed in some form? There are many reasons a person could be confined to a wheelchair, such as a gunshot wound to the lower back (affecting the spine), fixable leg injuries and even cerebral palsy. Therefore, it’s unfair to assume they’re all paralyzed.

So not all wheelchair users have chronic pain?

Of course not – again, it depends entirely on why they’re in the chair. If a wheelchair user has suffered some sort of catastrophic injury, they may have some lasting pain from it; or it’s entirely possible they’ve lost all feeling below the waist, resulting in very little pain or no pain at all.

What about pain from being in the wheelchair?

Now this is a more likely scenario. Spending your entire life in the upright seated position was not the way humans were meant to experience the world. Therefore, especially at the beginning, you can see some injuries or chronic pain as a result of being in the wheelchair.

One immediate possibility is pain or discomfort in your rear end, which can result from sitting in one position too long or simply having an uncomfortable wheelchair. That’s why we strongly recommend purchasing a nice inflatable cushion for your chair, to ensure your bottom is always comfortable.

Additionally, beefing up your arm strength is a smart idea to avoid overuse injuries or straining yourself. If you’re looking for inspiration on what types of exercises to perform, we’ve got you covered [http://www.pantsupeasy.com/blog/three-gym-exercises-you-can-do-in-a-wheelchair].