I am up 12 to 16 hours a day, and I must admit that occasionally my neck and shoulders are very tired of the end of the day. But I utilized the chin controller on a swing away while at rehab and did not like the fact that it would bounce slightly away over rough terrain. Since we are situated on the side of the mountain and all the terrain is rough I didnt see that working, so I opted for bib controller. I do not use a headrest as I like the fact that I can tilt back and drop my head back to relax it so as to stretch my neck and shoulder muscles during the day. It took me several months to build up my shoulder and neck muscles so I could get rid of the head rest. I just couldnt see myself bouncing around on the ground with a headrest while using a chin controller.
I have four drives on my Omega Trac wheelchair. Number one is high speed with very little chin pressure needed-8 miles per hour, number two is slow speed with very little chin pressure which I use around the house, number three is high speed with more chin pressure which gives me a very good control at a fairly fast rate of speed, and number four is very slow with a very quick stop which I use getting on and off lifts, around peoples toes etc J. You can see the Omega Trac on the Next Mobility site-I love love love this chair, but need to get something else in case it breaks and I cant afford to fix it. It has 4 inch ground clearance, and with the lift feature I can easily go over 6 ½ inches and up a 9 inch curb or step. I liked the fact it has a lifetime frame warranty, as I broke both the Invacare storm and my quickie wheelchair frames. Each of us has different needs and that is why these forums are so important because so many of us have solved problems with innovative solutions and then we can share them. What kind of mouthstick do you use? I really need to get one that I can read with that does not put pressure on my teeth. Have a great day. Joan What you do for yourself dies with you. What you do for others, lives forever.
