FreeWheeling in my Wheelchair!
I used to have a handcycle. I loved the freedom of getting out, and riding for exercise; but it wasn’t always easy for me to transport in and out of it. I know a lot of people who have different types of handcycles, such as those that can be attached right to your wheelchair, and the 3-wheeled handcycles, but even all of those can be a challenge to transport by yourself. I find that being in a wheelchair can be exercise all in itself. There are times when I just don’t want to transfer out of my wheelchair for exercise or spend a lot of money for a device that is hard for me to use independently. My independence is important to me and so is my health!
Recently, I discovered an awesome adaption for manual wheelchairs, called the FreeWheel™ Wheelchair Attachment (FreeWheel). I don’t know about you, but I find it incredible to get off the pavement once in a while and go on trails that are off the beaten path; or to just cruise really fast in my wheelchair and not have to worry about cracks in the sidewalk. Since I acquired a FreeWheel, it has increased my independence by giving me the freedom to go beyond my normal limits with my wheelchair. Also, it has allowed me to increase my stamina for traveling on rough terrain, which is not easy.
Some people may just look at this device as a way to cruise over grass easier, or go over bumps in the sidewalk more smoothly, but it can be used for more tasks. I like to do a normal “roll” along the beach near where I live; I can now do it faster in my wheelchair. I don’t go as fast as I would on a handcycle, but I can get my heart rate going, increase the speed in my wheelchair while pushing, and, yes, not have to worry about the bumps in the sidewalk.
There are many cool trails in the woods around Washington State; it’s only June now, so I am just getting out and exploring pathways I wouldn’t normally have access to without the FreeWheel™ Wheelchair Attachment. I am able to do all this because of a 5-pound device that attaches to the front of my wheelchair foot plate. I can also store it behind me when I don’t need it. It clamps onto a perch mounted on the back crossbar of my chair. This way I always have somewhere to put it and it’s ready for me when I need it!
I also thought it was pretty great that after a friend of mine saw me using the FreeWheel, she even purchased one to include in her training – to help her goal of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. I don’t know if I will be climbing any mountains, but I will definitely continue using the FreeWheel to increase the level of physical activity I perform independently in my wheelchair.
The FreeWheel was invented by someone who has quadriplegia and who needed to find an easier way to get around on difficult surfaces. I have used the FreeWheel almost every day in even the simplest situations. I have been in a wheelchair for 16 years and this is by far the best adaptation for a wheelchair that I have found that is affordable.
For more information on the FreeWheel, go to http://www.gofreewheel.com or email pat@gofreewheel.com or call 208-761-6031.
This fact sheet was last updated on 07-11-2009.
The information provided in this website was supported by Grant/Cooperative Agreement Number U59/CCU522742-02 from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC).