This ‘Wheelchair Propelling Techniques’ section might (at first) seem pretty self-explanatory. You sit down and push with your hands right? Well actually there’s a bit more to it. Little adjustments with your body can make a big difference. Lets start with simply moving a chair over smooth ground. Make sure you’re siting comfortably, don’t slouch…Continue reading Wheelchair Propelling Techniques
Author: JBOT
I am an Independent Occupational Therapist & an expert patient with many years experience self-managing complex health conditions.
I began my working life in the sport and Outdoor Adventure industries. After being diagnosed with Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, I returned to study and gained a BSc in Occupational Therapy from the University of Northampton, where I was named Changemaker Student of the Year 2016. This is in part to recognise my efforts as a volunteer for the HMSA, for helping to bring Wheelchair Basketball to the university and for my blogging and online advocacy starting in 2013. The final noteworthy reason was my final placement, which made me the UK’s first OT practitioner to work in the travel industry.
I finished my degree in September 2016 after 5 years, thousands of miles of travel, 57 nights in 4 different hospitals, 5 different A&Es (some more than once), 4 ambulance trips, countless hospital and GP appointments, 3 work placements, living in student accommodation, hotels and friends’ houses.
UK Mobility Scooter / Tramper Hire
The map below shows the locations of Trampers, scooters and power chairs available to borrow in the UK. I haven’t tested many of them and I strongly suggest phoning ahead to avoid disappointment! Simply click on a pin to see the place details. The type of scooter available from each location varies so please call…Continue reading UK Mobility Scooter / Tramper Hire
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Holywells Park Accessibility Review
Holywells Park in Ipswich is a lovely open space, filled with grass, trees, ponds and playgrounds. The park stretched over 28 hectares with paths and trails throughout. Holywells Park is a County Wildlife Site and a Conservation Area with two listed buildings (the Stable Block and Conservatory), making it a haven for wildlife and history alike.…Continue reading Holywells Park Accessibility Review
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Sleep Hygiene – Tips for getting a good nights sleep
In this modern age of late night TV and smart phones by the bed, getting a good nights sleep has become somewhat of a struggle. Throw in any kind of health problem and restful sleep becomes almost impossible. ‘Painsomnia’ (insomnia caused by pain) can cause particular problems. This post will explain the basic principles of…Continue reading Sleep Hygiene – Tips for getting a good nights sleep
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Wheelchair Cushion Guide
Wheelchair shopping can be expensive and overwhelming. Often the chair itself take priority but sometimes the extras, like a decent wheelchair cushion, are just as important. Wheelchair Cushions make sitting for long periods more comfortable but they also play a part in temperature regulation, stability and preventing pressure injuries. There are literally thousands on the…Continue reading Wheelchair Cushion Guide
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‘Male’ Contraceptive Trial – The truth about owning a uterus.
Please excuse the overly simplified gender discussion in parts of this post. I always do my best to use gender neutral language in all posts but for the sake of clarity here I have made a few exceptions. If you’ve been anywhere on social media this week you will probably have seen an article on…Continue reading ‘Male’ Contraceptive Trial – The truth about owning a uterus.
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Using Splinting with Hypermobility Syndromes
Using splinting is one common strategy for managing the symptoms of Hypermobility Syndromes such as Ehlers Danlos. People with a hypermobility syndromes (HMS) often have very poor proprioception, this basically means we don’t really know where our own arms and legs are so we tend to have a lot of accidents compared to ‘normal’ people.…Continue reading Using Splinting with Hypermobility Syndromes
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Accessibility. There’s more to it than you think.
Accessibility is a word that I hear all the time. Accessibility refers to the design of products, services or environments for people with impairments. It’s often though of as a fixed standard, either something is accessible or it isn’t. When you start looking deeper though you realise that isn’t really true. How can something be yes/no…Continue reading Accessibility. There’s more to it than you think.
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The Creperie, Brighton. Gluten Free Goodness!
The Creperie in Brighton is a fabulous little restaurant just off the seafront. The Creperie offers french-style cuisine made with top quality local produce and get this.. its 100% Gluten Free. That’s right no gluten at all, you can’t even bring in your own! The Creperie prides itself on being the only 100% Gluten free restaurant in…Continue reading The Creperie, Brighton. Gluten Free Goodness!
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Crenova Trail Camera Review
This is a quick review of the Crenova 12MP 1080P HD Infrared Game & Trail Camera with 120°Wide Angle Night Vision and a 2.4 inch LCD Display. I was lucky enough to get one of these as an early birthday present (thanks Addz and family) and I’ve had it set up in the back garden…Continue reading Crenova Trail Camera Review
