Center for International Rehabilitation

Whirlwind Junior

Children's, Small, and custom sizes

Changing the Wheelchair for Children and Shorter People:

• Use 20" wheels if possible
• Cross tubes for 20" wheels
• Fender and seat tubes for 20": wheels
• Short footrest
• Fork for 20" wheels
• Handrims for20" wheels
• Long Brakes
• Small Upholstery

Using 20" Wheels

For small people, 20" rear wheels works the best. If you use large 24" or 26" wheels, the children are either too high in the seat and tip over easily or cannot reach the floor, or the seat is too low and they have a difficult time reaching the handrims.

Measuring Seat Width

Add 3 cm to the seat width for growing children.

Standard Seat Height for 20" Wheels:

Cross Tubes Table for 20" Wheel

Fender For 20" Wheels:

Follow the blueprint drawings for the bend. Mount the fender UNDER the pins on the side of the frame.

Seat Tube for Small Wheelchairs

Cut the seat tubes 375mm.

Footrest for Short Legs

If your customer’s legs are 27cm or shorter, you will need to make a single footrest.

The footrest also deeper for growing children’s feet.

Some people use the second seat as a footrest. But it is only good for feet of one length.

Fork for 20" Wheels

If you use 20" rear wheels, the front fork will also have to be shorter.

Handrim for 20" Wheels

Make a new handrim bender:

Brakes for People with Shorter Arm Reach

Make the brake handle a little longer so that people with short arms can reach them easier.

Upholstery for Narrow People:

Small upholstery pattern for seat 23-33cm wide

See Blueprints

Customizing Wheelchair Sizes

Changing the Wheelchair Size

You can customize the wheelchair size in three ways

1. Change the upholstery width
2. Change the wheel size and upholstery
3. Change the cross tube length

 

1. Changing the Wheelchair Size by Changing the Upholstery

If you tighten the upholstery the wheelchair will be higher and narrower. If you loosen the upholstery the wheelchair will be lower and wider. So you can make a variety of seat widths and lengths that are not shown on the table.

You want to make seat 50cm high, 25cm wide using 24" wheels. This is 4cm higher than the standard size. That means that your seat width will be 4-5cm narrower than what is shown in the table.

2. Changing the Wheelchair Size by Changing the Wheels

This means that children can use the same wheelchair frame and change the size (both the height and the width) as they grow by using larger wheels.

3. Changing the Wheelchair Size by Customizing Seat Height

There are 3 factors that you must think about to set the seat height.

1. For short people: how easily the person can reach and push the handrims
2. For tall people: make the seat is high enough so that their feet do not hit the floor
3. For using the wheelchair daily: keep the wheelchair low enough so that your customer can fit under some tables and the wheelchair does not tip over too easily.

a) Finding the Seat Height for Stability and Reach:

The lower the seat height the easier it will be for your customer to get under tables, sweep floors and pick things up off the floor. A lower seat height will also make the wheelchair more stable when going over uneven ground. The higher the seat, the easier your customer will tip over!

b) Finding the Seat Height for Tall People:

One of the most important measurements for tall people is their calf or lower leg measurement. Your customer’s seat has to be high enough so that his feet will not hit the ground. We add another 5cm (2") so that on uneven ground he will not hit his feet either.

So for tall people you will need to make the seat height 5cm (2") longer than his lower leg.

If your customer’s feet end up lower than the floor, you may suggest adding some cushioning at the front edge of the seat.

c) Finding the Best Seat Height for Short People:

The most important measurement for short people is the elbow to seat height. Most people like to have their elbow 2.5cm or 1" above the handrim. At that height they can push the handrims with the most force.

Option: See the end of this section for people with upper body disabilities.

1. Sitting: Have your customer sit in a wheelchair or on a table. If they will be using a cushion, h ave them sit on the same cushion or a very similar cushion when you are measuring them. They should also be using their normal footwear.
2. Elbow Height: Have your customer sit upright with their shoulders as they normally sit. Measure their elbow height (distance from the bottom of their elbow to the table or wheelchair seat height).
3. Handrim Height - Now you need to find what seat height to make the wheelchair to put your customer’s elbow in the right height. First find what wheel and handrim size you are using. Then you can decide what seat height to use.

However, the seat should not be higher than 54 cm (21.5") or the wheelchair will tip over the side too easily.

Customizing Seat Height for People with Upper Body Disabilities

When finding out the correct Seat Height. Some people may be stronger if their elbow is higher or lower than the usual 2.5cm or 1inch above the handrim. Some people also have different length arms from right to left, or their back may be twisted making one shoulder higher than the other.

If you are working with someone with unusual arm dimensions, the best way to find out how high they should sit above the handrim is to test it. We have found that if you sit behind the customer and have her pull on your finger at different heights, you can tell at which height she can push the handrims the strongest. It is a good idea to test both arms. Sometimes it’s good to pick the height for the weakest arm.

"Growing" the Wheelchair For Children:

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