Neck support when travelling

[JamesW]

Hi all,

I am after any advice that any of you may have regarding supporting your neck whilst travelling, specifically, in a power chair and in the back of a wheelchair adapted vehicle. As my neck has got weaker I am finding it more difficult to put up with the bumps in the road and the forwards and backwards motions of the vehicle. I am putting quite a lot of effort into keeping my head against the powerchair headrest and this is really tiring my neck out.

I am going to give my neck collar a try to see if that improves things but I wondered if any members had already encountered this problem and had any solutions or ideas that may help?

James x

[Tabbycat]

Can you use the tilt-in-space option on your chair, whilst in the car?

[Ellie]

Do you wear any neck brace James? If you don’t, your OT should assess you in the first instance.

I wear a rigid cervical collar in the car and, for longer journeys, I sometimes use a forehead strap (around the headrest) for extra support. xx

[JamesW]

Can you use the tilt-in-space option on your chair, whilst in the car?

Hi Tabs, if I tilt back the problem is actually worse as my head bounces up and down off the headrest which can be quite painful 😕

[JamesW]

Do you wear any neck brace James? If you don’t, your OT should assess you in the first instance.

I wear a rigid cervical collar in the car and, for longer journeys, I sometimes use a forehead strap (around the headrest) for extra support. xx

I will give my OT a shout….. i’ll get him to add it to his list 😘😘

I already have a Sheffield collar and a soft collar for when I’m on my commode chair…. But I don’t have anything rigid

[Ellie]

But I don’t have anything rigid

😊

This is mine - good support yet I can still turn my head:

Ortel C3.jpg

[JamesW]

😊

This is mine - good support yet I can still turn my head:

Ortel C3.jpg

Thanks Ellie 😘😘😘

[Tony]

Not travelled in my wheelchair yet but I can see the problem. I tend to sit in the front passenger seat and while I have worn a neck brace I find the best solution is a soft cushion behind my neck. Takes a bit of experimenting to get it r though. Like the look of Ellie’s neck brace.

[Ellie]

James, I tried a Savant headrest on my wheelchair a good while ago. It cradles the head and has a forehead strap as an accessory, if required, although I just got the headrest.

It was very good for holding the head in place but I didn't like it because I couldn't turn my head much - it might suit plenty of other, less nosy, people.

image.png

[Ellie]

Like the look of Ellie’s neck brace.

It's an Ortel C3 collar Tony, works well for me. I do need to pad my collar bones though, small price to pay. xx

[JamesW]

James, I tried a Savant headrest on my wheelchair a good while ago. It cradles the head and has a forehead strap as an accessory, if required, although I just got the headrest.

It was very good for holding the head in place but I didn't like it because I couldn't turn my head much - it might suit plenty of other, less nosy, people.

image.png

This looks really snazzy, although I failed to mention that i use head controls on my head rest so I’m a bit stuck with the actual choice of headrest ☺️

[Ellie]

I’m a bit stuck with the actual choice of headrest

Ah, I see. xx

[AngelaR]

My husband Andy was really starting to struggle with his head/neck bouncing about when in the power chair in the rear of the WAV. He used a soft collar for a while but that started to cause more difficulties than helped. We’ve ended up attaching a wide soft headband onto the stem of his headrest with some elastic so that it holds his head reasonably firmly in place but still enables him to move forward if he needs to swallow/gulp/ etc. works a treat at the moment. Love to you all xxx

[JamesW]

Thank you AngelaR