Outing Resources

• Sunscreen
• Water
• Umbrella or hat
• Handheld fan

After a spinal cord injury, a person is much more susceptible to sunburn. A daily practice of wearing sunscreen is highly recommended. Staying hydrated in hot weather is also very important. Always keep water on hand. Umbrellas and hats are helpful in protecting skin from direct sunlight. Personal handheld fans can also aid in cooling.

• Wear insulating clothing (wool, nylon, polypropylene)
• Wear a hat
• Add layers
• Artificial heat sources (heat packs)
• Warm drinks

After a spinal cord injury, the body may not regulate its temperature as before. This results in many people feeling cold almost all of the time. This is especially true for people who have higher-level injuries. Reduced circulation can make the extremities feel cold while the body is warm. Keeping the entire body warm in cold temperatures is important for the body to work properly and avoid tissue injury or hypothermia.

Always give yourself extra time to get to your destination.

If you think it will take 10 minutes to push to your destination, then allow yourself 20 to 25 minutes to get there. You never know if an issue may arise that will slow your progress (e.g., an impromptu IC, waiting at crosswalks, chair malfunction.)

If it is your first time visiting this destination, call ahead to ask about accessibility. Remember, not everyone knows what “accessibility” really means. Ask specific questions about entrances, ramps, walkways, etc. to determine accessibility.

Potential signs and symptoms

• Pale, ashen face
• Dizziness
• Fainting

Treatment

• Power tilt
• Assisted manual tilt
• Lift the patient’s legs above heart level
• Put on stomach binders and TED hose

Dysreflexia is the body letting you know that something is not right. Dysreflexia is usually only experienced by individuals with a T-6 level of injury and above. However, knowing and understanding this information is important for people with all injury levels.

Potential signs and symptoms

• Red face or red blotches on the skin
• Excruciating headache
• Sweating above the level of injury
• Nausea
• Cold, clammy skin

Treatment

• Remove any stomach binders and TED hose
• Head-to-toe check. Check for any loose items that have fallen underneath the legs or anything that may be causing the body discomfort
• IC
• Bowel program

If the problem persists, call 911.

• Look for another entrance.
• Check and see if there is a ramp.
• Have someone bump you up the steps.
• Carry a portable ramp in your car.
• Talk to the manager.

• Look for a table that might be higher.
• If your armrests are not in the way, try removing them.
• Raise the table using phonebooks, dishwashing crates, trays, etc.
• Put a tray in your lap.
• Pull up sideways to the table.
• Transfer into a chair or a booth.
• Talk to the manager.

• Check the other restroom (men’s or women’s).
• Ask if there is a private room or space that you can use.
• Use your car/van.
• See if the place next door has a restroom that is accessible.
• Talk to the manager.

• Use humor. Say to the person you are with, “Tell the waiter that I would like a Coke.”
• Be direct. Say, “Thanks, but I can order for myself, and I would like a Coke.”

• Transfer into a chair.
• Sit in your wheelchair in an aisle next to a chair.
• See if there is a chair that your friend can move to where there is accessible seating.
• Talk to the manager.

Powerchair

• The caregiver stays on the side of the joystick.
• If the chair dies, be prepared to do a manual push.
• If the caregiver needs to rest, turn the chair perpendicular to the ramp, and the chair will remain stationary.
• The patient can partially tilt back while going down a ramp to feel more stable.
• The patient should NOT be in tilt while going up a ramp.

Manual chair

• Caregiver always has hands placed on the chair when going down ramps.
• The patient will do short pushes at first and then more full-range pushes once his/her momentum goes up the ramp.

Sidewalks

• Always avoid any large cracks, holes, or debris on the sidewalk. The chair may get stuck or messed up.
• Stay in the middle of the sidewalk. The middle is usually the flattest and most stable.
• The caregiver should always walk on the side of traffic so that they are between the patient and the cars in the street.

Curb cut-outs

• Square up behind the yellow curb-cut box. It is important to stay behind the yellow box so that if cars round the corner too sharply and the back tires come up onto the sidewalk, the patient is out of harm’s way.
• Always enter at the flattest part of the curb cutout.

• The caregiver should always cross on the patient’s side where there will be oncoming traffic.
• The caregiver will be more visible to oncoming cars as they will be taller than the patient, who is at a seated level.
• Pedestrians have the right of way while in the crosswalk. Even if the crosswalk timer is running out, continue to cross the street as normal.
• If the crosswalk is unfamiliar, wait one full rotation of the light before crossing. This will ensure that you know how much time you have to cross the street once the light turns.

• ATV Transfer
• ATV Rhino Transfer
• Boat Transfers
• Para Boat Transfer
• Boarding a Boar from a Wheelchair
• Launch and Loading a Bass Boat, Paraplegic Style
• Wheelchair Accessible Fishing Boat
• Wheelchair Accessible Pontoon Boat

• Handcycle Transfer
• Handcycle Safety Light

• Wheelchair Ballroom Dance
• Painting by Mouth

• National Spinal Cord Injury Association
• Canine Companions
• Facing Disability