Wheelchair on stairs

Ever seen a wheelchair on stairs? Why climb stairs in a wheelchair? Because they’re there of course. No way around ‘em. Sometimes when an elevator just isn’t around, we have no choice but to come up with some creative solutions. And boy are there some great ones.

For people with limited arm strength, going for new fangled stair-climbing technology is the way to go, but if you have a strong upper-body, all you need is a lightweight chair and a sturdy railing to pull off some of these amazing stair-climbing tricks. Here are some videos showing a wheelchair on stairs that you have to see to believe.

The first video comes from my friend and SPINALpedia member, Ekondo (Erik Kondo), a buff paraplegic from Massachusetts. He has mastered the art of climbing stairs from by doing the “Railing Side Wheel Control” method.

In his video showing him teaching his method to a newbie para at Spaulding Rehab Hospital, watch as he rolls up each step gingerly, and leans to the side and grips the railing to pull up his body weight. Being in shape and not overweight is a MUST to do this trick (and as you’ll see, going down is MUCH easier). Watch the video

The second video comes from SPINALpedia member Ebayspinalpedia, an extreme paraplegic who in his free time likes to go paragliding in Chile (nice!). In this video, watch him use a custom overhead railing (his own invention) to get his wheelchair on stairs, installed over his home’s staircase (he couldn’t afford an elevator). In 15 seconds, watch as he flies down his staircase with finesse holding onto the railing above. Watch!

If you could never do what these buff guys do, then you’ll love our third video of the Observer Maximus stair-climbing wheelchair. With the iBot no longer being made (the US version of a stair climbing wheelchair; it was discontinued a few years ago) this bad boy from Russia is one of our few options left.

It climbs stairs by having fours wheels that separately move in response to one another. Watch as users take it all over the place. I’m really in awe of this machine. It seems like such a great, relatively easy solution US manufacturers could start applying to their wheelchairs. Come on guys get on it.

I am so tired and looking at stairs and seeing nothing but one thing – limitations. I love these videos. They prove that – without question – we can overcome one of the most villainous things that can confront a wheelchair.

Have you ever used your wheelchair on stairs? Have you tackled something seemingly impossible in your wheelchair and succeeded?

Watch these stair-climbing videos!

– Wheelchair on stairs basic handrail method taught by Ekondo

– Custom handrail installed in home

– Observer Maximus Stair Climbing Wheelchair