Carlos is a self-employed psychotherapist in private practice. On nice days, he sees clients by the trees near his home. He was referred to Magic Wheels, Inc. by a friend in Washington state who had seen the 2-gear wheels at a local Seattle in-service. Carlos researched them on the magicwheels.com web site and acquired them with the help of his doctor, insurance company and local provider. Carlos has been using the MAGICWHEELS™ 2-gear drive for 60 days.
Diagnosis: Carlos has a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) C6-7 complete, due to a gymnastics accident as a coach in 1984.
- After his accident his paralysis was so extreme that he could not pick up a phone.
- He was told that he would spend the rest of his life in a power chair with little functionality.
- Carlos said “NO” and worked extra hard to become active once again.
Present wheelchair:
- Quickie Ti
- A power wheelchair that he never uses unless his arm is injured
Seating: Carlos uses a Combi foam cushion. He has had no skin breakdown problems in 22 years in a manual wheelchair.
Vehicle: Carlos uses a full size van with a lift. He had a mini-van with the kneeling ramp, but at that time it was often “scary” and difficult to negotiate.
Problems prior to purchase of MAGICWHEELS™ 2-gear drive:
- In his manual wheelchair, Carlos struggled to navigate the uneven terrain that surrounds his house.
- Carlos was unable to engage in the activities he loves to do, such as camping or hiking hills. Gravel slopes were especially difficult.
- Carlos was experiencing frequent fatigue.
- Three years ago Carlos had bilateral tendon transfers. Although his functionality has improved greatly since this surgery, he has recently developed shoulder concerns. Negotiating the ramps to and around his house was fatiguing his shoulders by the end of the day.
Carlos’ MAGICWHEELS™ 2-gear drive configuration:
- 24” x 1” (25-540) high pressure tires
- Dual handrims: 21” X ¾” tube foam coated and 16” x 1” tube foam coated, with the 16” handrim spaced 3/8” outboard of the 21” handrim.
Carlos says the MAGICWHEELS™ 2-gear drive makes the"
biggest difference OUTSIDE. He can enjoy hiking and camping again!
Carlos’ Reasons for Purchasing MAGICWHEELS™ 2-gear wheels:
- To improve his posture and alignment
- To manage and/or relieve his shoulder pain
- To increase his mobility and endurance
- To provide increased functional independent mobility
- Going up ramps and inclines
- Negotiating uneven terrain around his house
- The automatic hill holding of the 2-gear drive allows Carlos to rest during a hill climb.
Results after about 60 days of full time use of MAGICWHEELS™
2-gear drive:
- At the end of a day of pushing Carlos’ shoulders “feel very strong”.
- Carlos has had a significant decrease in shoulder pain.
- Carlos has better endurance, and has been energized to do more of the activities of daily living.
- Carlos has improved functionality: as he comes to a door, he no longer has to struggle with setting the brakes to open the door.
- Carlos is able to propel himself faster, or for longer distances, in 1:1 gear using the 16” handrims.
Carlos’ New Discoveries:
- Pushing with only one wheel in 2:1 gear works well on surfaces that are slanted sideways.
- The low gear descent assist saves the hands and keeps the chair stable when descending hills.
- Carlos is amazed by how well his MAGICWHEELS™ 2-gear drive works on gravel.
- He is using the low gear more and more and is shifting into gear for shorter periods of time. For example, he will be pushing up a hill as part of a workout and towards the top of the hill when he is starting to get tired, he engages in Magic wheels for the final push to the top.
Future Plans:
Carlos feels more confident in his mobility now. Psychologically, he did not realize how much of a positive impact it would make for him. He now seeks out terrain to use
MAGICWHEELS™ low gear.
“I’ve waited 22 years for a product like
MAGICWHEELS™ 2-gear drive.”
~ Carlos
Prepared by:
Delia "Dee Dee" Freney-Bailey, OTR/L, ATS, Clinical Consultant
Office: 510-581-2904 Cell: 510-828-8529 FAX: 510-885-1353
