The mAss Kicker Mobile is giving me trouble. I had to take it in to get fixed last week. It stalls going over every bump or incline. We think there is something wrong with the motor! We changed the batteries, checked the wiring, and checked ALL the ignition pieces. Something is up. I’ve gotten caught in the rain a few times, so perhaps the water affected the motor. We will continue to monitor the situation. In the meantime, I’ve been practicing propelling a manual transport wheelchair. Transport wheelchairs are not good chairs for self propulsion. There was a reason it was so cheap. I figured out that:
- Arm rests can be eliminated for more efficient propulsion with a wider range of motion for the shoulders and elbows.
- Folding wheelchairs tend to be heavier, so they don’t roll as well.
- Large front casters (wheels)= more work in propulsion which leads to inefficient power/speed. (Large wheels= More surface area/friction and added weight.)
- If I go out in the morning, there are less people out and about, so I can maintain social distancing.
- Weight lifting gloves can be used to protect your hands.
Your fingers still get really dirty. (Maybe full finger gloves would be more useful.)
- A lot of energy is used propelling a wheelchair.
I’m still working on getting the new manual wheelchair, but I still have to figure out how to become more efficient and faster using crutches. I’m def getting anti-tippers installed on the new wheelchair because I’m sure I will try popping wheelies or something crazy. One of the biggest disadvantages of using a manual wheelchair will be the loss of speed. BUT I will be more physically active. I wonder how manually propelling a wheelchair will affect my energy levels? On a positive note, I’m sleeping better because of all the physical activity!
