Whirlwind Wheelchairs Brings More Joy To Camp Joy

Camp+Joy+with+Paiges+Princess+with+camperBaylee, a camper of the youth with Spina Bifida Camp Joy program, with Paige’s Princess Foundation Fundraisers, who made the RoughRiders possible.Camp Joy is now more accessible to a variety of campers thanks to the addition of the Whirlwind RoughRider wheelchair.  Camp Joy, located in Clarksville, Ohio, is an independent, non-profit organization that specializes in the advancement of youth and adults from all backgrounds.  Last month Camp Joy bought two of Whirlwind’s RoughRider all-terrain wheelchairs with funds donated from Paige’s Princess Foundation.  The new RoughRiders help campers who use wheelchairs to access more areas of the camp.  According to Gunner Blackmore, the development manager at Camp Joy, “the chairs are going great.”  One camper tried the RoughRider out upon arrival to Camp Joy and loved it so much her father ended up putting her regular wheelchair back in the car.  She continued to use the RoughRider for the duration of her stay.  With the help of the RoughRider, the campers who use wheelchairs can more easily access the graveled and wooded areas of the camp that would be difficult to navigate in a traditional wheelchair.  According to Gunner, the camp is “working on improving the path down to the water” along with other parts of the camp with the hopes to make the camp’s facilities accessible to all campers.  So far, the two RoughRiders that were purchased have been beneficial to many campers including the Spina Bifida camp, Amputee Coalition participants, and the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital campers.

We at Whirlwind Wheelchair are delighted to see campers getting good use out of the RoughRiders.  We would like to thank Camp Joy and Paige’s Princess Foundation and look forward to hearing from them in the future.

Customizing and Ordering My Roughrider

Seat Width

To find the distance between your hips, first position yourself seated with pelvis upright on a firm surface. Then, measure the distance between the widest points of the hips and thighs without compressing any tissue. Finally, record your measurements. It is important not to have a chair that is wider than necessary as it will be harder to push and may prevent you from passing through narrow doorways.

Seat Depth

Position yourself seated upright on a firm surface. Measure the length of your upper leg, the distance from behind the knee to the back of the pelvis (back of your lower leg). Subtract 1/2” to find the maximum seat depth, to allow for space between the back of the knee/upper leg and seat fabric. Record the final measurement.

Backrest Height

Your preferred backrest height is determined by your personal comfort level and physical ability. Whirlwind recommends, generally, that the top of the back support should fall just beneath the bottom of the shoulder blade. For less active riders who require more torso support, the back support should be higher, falling just beneath the armpit. Position yourself seated upright on a firm surface. Hold your hands flat against the surface you are sitting on. Measure the distance from the seated surface to the desired, most comfortable point for support on your back. To this number add the height of your cushion when you are sitting on it. Record the measurement.

Preferred Backrest Angle

Backrest angles are determined by the torso control of the rider. Whirlwind recommends that those with less torso control, such as quadriplegics, sit with a backrest angled further backwards to avoid falling forward in a wheelchair. Those with more torso control, such as amputees, can sit with the backrest more upright. Proper backrest angle is best determined by an occupational therapist or healthcare professional. Although there is only one option – 8 degrees – in the drop-down list below, you can adjust the backrest angle by adjusting the backrest straps (i.e. looser at the bottom and tighter at the top for a more erect position).

Now please enter your measurements into the fields on the product page before ordering. For more information about measuring, please refer to the RoughRider Fitting Sheet. You are responsible for choosing the right chair for yourself. If you are uncomfortable with determining your wheelchair size, please consult a professional.