The life of wheelchair users is hard. They have to sit all day for hours to not only get physically but mentally stressed as well.

Wheelchairs can negatively impact their health and cause pressure ulcers. Imagine a day where you are just required to sit! Frustrating, isn’t it? To combat these issues, medical technology made standing wheelchairs.

Standing powerchairs can provide a solution for wheelchair users who want to reap the health and lifestyle benefits of a more upright posture or who want to shift positions. Let us explore some of the physical benefits of standing wheelchairs and how they can help your loved one cope with lifestyle issues.

1. Breathing Functions Will Improve

We all know the basic respiratory system and its operation. Organs and muscles help us to breathe. But what if you experience restrictions?

Wheelchair users frequently experience respiratory problems due to restricted blood and oxygen flow in the upper body. It may be due to the seated position exposed to pressure and gravity.

Standing will not only stabilize the spine but also relieve breathing. It will ensure healthy blood and oxygen flow.

2. Blood Circulation Will Enhance

Standing enhances blood circulation for two reasons. The first is that the circulatory system works in sync with the respiratory system. This means that if standing improves the respiratory system's ability to breathe, the circulatory system will transfer oxygen more effectively.

Blood, on the other hand, frequently stagnates when you spend a lot of time sitting. As a result, changing posture from sitting to standing and vice versa improves circulation in the lower limbs and lowers the risk of thrombosis.

3. Bowel and Bladder Function Will Improve

Gravity plays an important role in carrying out all the body’s biological tasks. This includes bowel and bladder movements. Hence, standing allows you to empty your bladder and bowels more easily!

In terms of bladder functioning, standing minimizes the risk of infections caused by inadequate urine drainage while also avoiding kidney and bladder stones.

In the case of bowel functioning, the ability to stretch the trunk will cause the entire system to function more efficiently and frequently.

4. Your Bone Density Will Improve

Maintaining bone health and strength requires supporting body weight. This is not possible for a wheelchair user, and hence the bones may become fragile, increasing the risk of osteoporosis (bone weakening) and bone abnormalities.

Maintaining bone density is dependent on various factors, including calcium, vitamin D, and physical activity. Weight-bearing can be considered a type of physical exercise while the lower limbs are immobile. Hence standing will be beneficial in maintaining and/or improving bone density.

Standing, on the other hand, repositions the posture and stretches the trunk and deformities. It requires less effort to move and prevents repetitive strain injuries.

5. Pressure Ulcers

Pressure ulcers are skin and tissue lesions caused by persistent pressure on the skin. Most pressure ulcers develop on the skin that covers the bones, such as the coccyx, shoulder blades, backbone, and so on.

The most common technique to avoid them is to use a cushion. It gives correct placement and pressure relief to the user. However, having no pressure at all is unquestionably more beneficial! It also helps blood to circulate freely.

6. Reduces Spasticity and Contractures

Spasticity (also known as excessive muscle tone) is a central nervous system imbalance that affects mobility. It is an excessive tension that affects muscles when there are no contractions (immobility) and creates rigidity. Muscle contractures can also be caused by spasticity.

Changing positions will stretch and release muscles in the lower limbs, minimizing spasms and spasticity-induced contractures. If the user uses a powerchair that does not include a standing function, they will need someone to assist them in stretching, whereas a standing powerchair allows them to do so independently.

Other Advantages

1. Your Independence

When one lacks movement, one's independence is jeopardized. Standing wheelchairs cannot restore complete freedom, but they can help to permit some new positions and activities that would not be possible with a normal wheelchair.

Aside from that, the cost of purchasing a powerchair with a standing function may be offset because it minimizes the need for home adaptations and attendant care. Reaching products on higher shelves independently is only one example of how a standing wheelchair can be advantageous!

2. Easy Transfers

A high tone can make transfers more challenging for the caregiver. As we know, the standing may make a difference by reducing spasticity and contractures and making transfers easier and safer.

3. Social Life For The Win

Having a new standing height can make a powerchair user more confident, especially at social events. They may engage while maintaining eye contact with those around them, making them feel more integrated into social interactions and society.

Wrapping Up

Standing power chairs have many advantages. When they are combined with seat elevation features, they become a luxury!

These wheelchairs can indeed be expensive to buy. But at Sehaonline, you never have to worry! With our comprehensive payment options, you can buy a standing wheelchair, and pay in 3 months' easy installments (no added interest)!

In the end, our loved ones deserve the best, right? These wheelchairs are not just another disability aid but have numerous therapeutic and social benefits. Explore the range and make your loved one’s life easier.