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Funny you should ask. When I was in my hometown in NY ... my agency nurse (and long time friend/acquaintence) would bring me seatbelt straps that I wrap around the back of my chair and then when I'm 'in' my chair I wrap the belt around my waist for support and balance (closes with velcro).
I always took this for granted (her bringing them) and never knew where she got them. I moved from NY over 6 yrs ago and am still using the last belt she made! But definitely need a new one or two! We lost touch after our move. I assumed she got it from an OT or PT Dept in her travels and I keep asking nurses and aides if they know where I could find this daily needed belt. To no avail.
So I finally got back in touch w/ my old nurse to find out she makes them! And other things like you described for wheelchair users and/or people/patients in her job. She had forgotten exactly what she had been making for me since it's been awhile. She asked me on the phone if it was seatbelt material and, by the looks of it, yes or very similar. So they're in the mail to me now. She just needed the length of the strap and how many inches of velcro on each side for closure.
Out of curiosity ... I asked her WHERE she got the material. I 'assumed' a fabric place. But no. She said a tent store. Apparently this belt material I use is used in tent/camping somehow. If you know of someone who is good at making things ... try that. OR request that an OT or PT visit you since that dept MAY have such materials to begin with and then custom fit something for your needs.
My nurse mentioned she made straps for another patient who used a sliding board from chair to bed & vice versa and needed straps to wrap around her leg or thigh area to help further in the transfer.
My seatbelt is about two inches wide (or a tad more) and I wrote her this when she asked for specs...
"My upper torso seatbelt (for balance while riding in the van) is 5 feet long. The velcro on
BOTH ends is 18inches. That one is holding up well but two more would be great!
My regular seatbelt for the chair is 6 feet long with 18 inches of velcro on BOTH ends.
Two of those should last many many years!!!!"
I have been waiting for them in the mail for weeks and nothing so I wrote to ask her if she got me emails. She wrote back this:
"I REC'D YOUR MEASUREMENTS OK BUT HAD TO WAIT FOR SOME MATERIAL & THEN RAN OUT OF BLACK THREAD--ME WHO NEVER RUNS OUT OF 30+ COLORS OF THREAD! YOUR PACKAGE IS WRAPPED & READY TO MAIL. MY CURRENT PLAN IS TO STOP AT P.O. IN THE AM--AFTER I TROUBLE SHOOT A HOYER LIFT!--SOUND FAMILIAR?"
So some sewing, of course is necessary. She used to bring me any color I wanted but I stuck to white since I cover it with my shirts so it wouldn't show through. I forgot to mention color with her so I hope a black seatbelt isn't coming :-( (her mentioning black thread). But they're on their way and she's doing this freely and out of kindness so no time to change it now. Oh well.
I used to have to strap both my legs apart during rehab (25 yrs ago) because my spasms were so bad that my legs clamped together badly and I vaguely remember them being similar to what I'm describing. So the rehab depts obviously made them too.
Brainstorm first by going to a tent store and then find someone who can sew a little. If that is unsuccessful ... have an OT or PT eval. PT in my opinion ... I've never had good experiences with ANY OT.
Lori Michaelson
C4/5 complete quad, 25 years post
Tucson, AZ
-------Original Message-------
Date: 07/29/05 10:21:23
Subject: [QUAD-L] Legs strap
Does anyone out there know where I can find a premade strap to hold my legs
together? The outsides of my shins are starting to rub against my leg
rests. I have temporarily put in some foam pads, but I think the strap
around the legs if its wide enough say at least 4 inches would be the best
answer for me.
Thank you,
Richard
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