Written by

Mellinda Clarke
Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPhty)
APEX Mobility Clinical Educator

 

Being able to pop into the shops or go for a walk around the local park should be easy, right?

But what if your child has a disability, and their needs can’t be met in a Baby Bunting special? Or they still need the support of a stroller to manage distances, but the regular strollers are now too small? These considerations can also extend to the young adult population, where a wheelchair with complex seating might meet their postural needs but doesn’t fit with transporting in the family vehicle, their lifestyle, or the needs of all involved in the users’ care. Getting out and about can then turn into a mammoth task leaving some families not knowing where to start and at risk of becoming isolated at home without a suitable mobility solution.

So where is a good place start?

 

Assessment is Key

As always, a thorough assessment with a therapist is a great first step in finding what best suits a user’s mobility needs. This will gather the information required to be able to make a great decision for a suitable mobility device, whether this be for a wheelchair or stroller.

Within this assessment, there are some key questions to answer about the user and their needs.  

Postural Abilities and Tone Considerations

• What are the postural capabilities and challenges for the user? Determining the level of postural support required by the user will establish, to some extent, the range of strollers that could be suitable.  Higher postural support needs mean more components on a stroller. This will impact how the stroller folds and its weight.
• Is high or low muscle tone present? If a user also has challenges with spasticity or high tone, then the structural strength of the device will be a factor to consider.

Physical Biometrics

• What are their joint range of movements including asymmetries and any non-reducible postures? This will also determine if seating supports are required in the stroller and if they can be comfortably accommodated.
• What are the physical measurements of the user including limb lengths and trunk/hip width? What is the user weight and the weight of essential items they will be travelling with regularly? Here we are talking about the user’s fit in the stroller and the combined weight we are asking a mobility device to handle on a regular basis. A stroller may indicate a certain weight maximum which includes not only the weight of the user, but all the other items carried for their use. Examples include toiletries, oxygen or suction machines for respiratory support, toys/games, and clothing. All of this may be essential to the outing, so consideration should be given to whether the proposed stroller has the capacity to carry it all.

Pressure Considerations

• Are there any specific pressure relieving needs including skin integrity issues and positional change requirements? If so, then there will need to be pressure relieving measures over and above general comfort levels in the seating of the stroller or even a consideration of whether a stroller is the best option.

Transfers

• What are the user’s transferring capabilities to access the stroller? If considering a three-wheeler, determine the ability of the user to safely step over the middle wheel to get into the stroller or if the carer will be assisting them. When considering a four wheeled stroller for a user performing standing transfers, the seat to floor height will be an important consideration for safely achieving this. Lastly, the stability of the stroller during this transfer would need to be assessed for suitability.

Managing Day-to-Day Tasks

• What will be the use of the stroller? If a stroller is for all mobility and used every day, then considerations for seated comfort may require more priority. If there are positional changes required for comfortable use, then a more complex mobility option may be indicated.
• Where does it need to take the user? Here it’s the terrain in the intended environments of use that’s important.  Most strollers will run well over flat, hard surfaces but getting over grass, gravel, and even rough walking tracks is not recommended. For recreational use or environments with uneven and challenging terrain, a differently purposed set up is more appropriate.
• How far will they be travelling? This is about the robustness of the mobility device and its fitness for purpose. A superlight, compact stroller may be great for short urban trips but is likely to be unsuited to regular hard use.

Transport

• How will the device be transported and who will be transporting it? Some key things to think about here are where in the vehicle the mobility device needs to be stowed. Consider the dimensions of the mobility device when folded up for transport and how it folds, how easy it handles when folded and how heavy the device is to lift (especially for the most petite of the care team). 

Sensory and other Needs

• Are there sensory needs? Look closely at the accessories and options available with a stroller. These include trays, types of material liners, and even speed of foldup can all be factors that have an impact.

 

All of these questions should come together to compile a detailed picture of what the physical requirements of the user are and a “script” of what is needed from a stroller in terms of features and terrain capabilities can be completed. This provides the best position to make an informed choice. Remember, a compromise may be necessary so keep in mind the most important requirements.

APEX Mobility are committed to keeping you mobile and connected to your communities by providing a high-quality range of mobility solutions. With several stroller options in the range, our aim is to make it easier for everyone to get out and about. Each stroller is designed to meet the needs of slightly different populations of users and/or for different environments, so finding a solution that works should be simple.

When a little bit of support is needed…

Strollers in the APEX Mobility range that suit users with low to moderate support needs include the Akces-Med Mamalu, Ormesa Clip, Thomashilfen Swifty, and the Eurovema Pixi.

When more support is needed …

For those users who need more postural support and/or positional options, APEX Mobility has a further range of strollers to meet these needs. This includes the Thomashilfen Jazz Advantage, Ormesa Bug, the Drive Trotter Mobility Chair, and newer models of the Adjustable Trolli and the Trollino, both from Ormesa. 

When you want to go off-road or just be a part of the family fun…

Being able to engage in recreational activities with the family is also important. To this end, APEX Mobility carry a range of recreational pushchairs, such as the xRover Multifunctional Stroller, the Kukuni from Akces Med, and the Endeavour Outdoor.

For more information on Strollers and Pushchairs, contact the team at APEX Mobility on 1300 212 192 or email sales@apexmobility.com.au.