Forums > Help! > Wheelchair poi

Posted: 15th Apr 2005
Wow, good luck.

I would be very interested to hear your findings, as I've been thinking about it for a while.

I think you could do a lot of things with little change and there might even be some new moves come out of it!

There's too many home fires burning and not enough trees

Posted: 15th Apr 2005
oh, you mean this isn't a thread about spinning wheelchairs? bummer.

i hope you get better, good luck!

-James

"How do you know if you're happy or sad without a mask? Or angry? Or ready for dessert?"

Posted: 15th Apr 2005
Hi Star Poi

I have been in your position with Doctors not knowing whats wrong with me on a couple of occassions. It took an age to get diagnosed with M.E. So I know how stressful and depressing it can get. If you ever need someone just to scream at with flustration or talk to just PM me. Sometimes just yelling at someone about it helps The endless tests and appointments can drive you nuts!

That said, you strike me as a positive person that will pull through this. Keeping spinning is a great idea. It will help keep muscles in tone so when you do recover you will be up and about faster. There are many, many designs for wheelchairs. Some will make spinning a lot easier. The slim line sports chairs are cool looking and they have very little in the way of parts sticking out that may snag your poi. You may also be able to get one where the seat is raise in relation to the wheels giving you a bit more height and clearance. Most wheelchairs have removable sides and backs so if you are able to keep balance without those that will give you more arm space.

I work in a disabled workshop and we have wheelchair users so I'll ask them if they know of any other chairs that might be good to look at.

Do you juggle? That would be easy in a chair. Diablo? I used to know a young man that was in a chair and he was one of the best yoyo spinner I've ever seen.

I'm sure with a bit of ingenuity and practice most of the spinning/juggling toys are playable with in a wheelchair.

Good luck and don't let the get you down (yeah I don't have a very high opinion of most Consultants and Doctors )

Feed me Chocolate!!! Feed me NOW!

Posted: 15th Apr 2005
thanks for the good wishes



sorry sparkey..don't think i'm quite up to swinging chairs around!



skully..thanks for the advice. i think a higher chair would be much better. on a stool i can manage btb weave but a chair with a back is too restrictive and having to keep the strings so short is a real pain. might have to pusuade my parents to splash out on a sporty chair! I find i keep hitting my knees too... i need longer arms!



oh and don't get me started on doctors...my lovely great supportive parents have paid for me to have private treatment but even they have done every test imaginable and can't work it out and i swear half of them haven't heard of the word compassion!



The docs think what i have is pretty similar to ME or fibromyalgia, i have all the pain but i'm not tired....which is most frustrating, i have all this energy so i need an outlet like spinning to burn it up!



once i've mastered throwing the balls upwards instead of slightly forwards i reckon juggling will definately be a big part of my chair bound activities.



i am determined not to let this get the better of me....i will keep on spinning!!



thanks for the support
EDITED_BY: starpoi (1113579217)

Posted: 15th Apr 2005
Hun you are one step closer to getting better already. Positivity is a HUGE part of getting better.



Don't worry if the Docs treat you like an object rather than a person. I came to the conclusion that its probably the only way they keep sane. Being in contact with so many ill and distressed people must grind them down if they get emotionally involved with each case. I agree though that some of them could at least learn to be civil. My Consultant when I first got sick was known as Dr frankenstein in my house....... His real name was similar and one day I mistakenly called him frankenstein to his face..... Funny how he past me on to another consultant soon after that



Oooooo how about contact juggling. Its flustrating at first because it takes ages to get good at it but its very addictive.

Feed me Chocolate!!! Feed me NOW!

Posted: 15th Apr 2005
frankenstein

contact juggling is so hypnotic to watch..always wanted to be able to do it..maybe now is the time!

Posted: 15th Apr 2005
I can't say much but keep up the great attitude and keep at your spinning!

To do: More Firedrums 08 video?

Wildfire/US East coast fire footage

LA/EDC glow/fire footage

Fresno fire

Posted: 15th Apr 2005
for some reason I can remember seeing a firepoi video clip once with someone in a wheelchair, but no idea which (col2?). I'm sure its possible, you'd just need to experiement with lengths of chain etc. I made Pink some mini flags a few years ago when she was bed ridden

Posted: 15th Apr 2005
...and I made her some mini poi to go with them

Small toys work well sitting, just all the moves look miniature

The optimist claims that we are living in the best of all possible worlds.
The pessimist fears this is true.

Always make time to play in the snow.

Posted: 15th Apr 2005
i'm off to my sewing machine to experiment...got mini flags...but not mini poi....wonder how heavy they'd have to be...

i'm finding i have to do everything more at head/face height (so i don't keep smacking my knees) which is mildly scary! might have to make extra padded poi!

Posted: 15th Apr 2005
Your not alone, look in my pictures for Ricki, she's also here surf our website to find more pics of her. www.controlledburnreno.com She was an olympic level pole-vaulter untill a car accident put her in a chair. I have a documentary on her that some frends made. I'll see what I can do about some how getting it to you it's 10 minutes long. As you can see she does fire staff and poi. There not too short either, you just need to watch your planes. She's not on HOP, she's too busy trying out for the disabled olympics in skiing. She got Bronze at nationals. Don't let anything slow you down.

Cody Canon
Controlled Burn, Reno Nevada

Posted: 15th Apr 2005
sounds like nothing could stop her! what an inpiring person....nice to know that theres people out there with such determination.

it would be great to see some more pics/vids for inspiration

Thanks for the links but I can't seem to be able to see your site at the mo but i'll have another go later.

Posted: 15th Apr 2005
Yes I noticed that too. Try it later, maybee the server's doin stuff.

Cody Canon
Controlled Burn, Reno Nevada

Posted: 15th Apr 2005
There, it's working now. I don't know what happoned.

Cody Canon
Controlled Burn, Reno Nevada

Posted: 15th Apr 2005
When my knee problems were bad I was lucky enough to have Flid and Poly make me my mini toys.

You can do loads of short string spinning...

good luck with it all... I know how frustrating it can be

Never pick up a duck in a dungeon...

Posted: 15th Apr 2005
After reading the posts i ran down stairs and tried out my grandfather's hired wheel chair (while he is taking a nap :P)I found that when i lean back its easier to do the moves more at an angle,slightly above my face.
Some difficluties were:
The handles got in the way of behind the head stuff
and i kept hitting my knees aswell :P

It is a great arm work out and i wish you the best of luck
ill keep you posted if i get any new wheel moves

Spinning makes my world go round

Posted: 15th Apr 2005
I've seen wheelchair poi a couple of times and taught a paraplegic basic moves. Basically everything had to be slow, wide moves and at weird angles. As it sounds like you've still got use of your legs that'll help you balancing so you can lean over to get more room to spin away from the chair.



As Skulduggery says, the type of chair will make a difference to how much you can do.



Also you might find this is a great time to try something new that can be done while sitting in the chair or floor, such as juggling or contact juggling.



Experiment and let us know what you work out!

And I hope you begin to get better soon

Posted: 16th Apr 2005
oooh i'm getting so many ideas

i've been trawling the net looking at different chairs and i think its going to be worth spending the extra on a more sporty chair so that i'm less restricted. When i'm sitting my balance is great and i can lean about a lot which makes the moves easier. oooh and hopefully i'll be able to do wheelies in it to

i think once i have got used to the chair it will become a lot more natural, still hitting my knees a lot at the moment which isn't really helping with the pain!!


anyway thanks again everyone
you're all great!

Posted: 16th Apr 2005
My mum is in a wheelchair with MS, a decent chair is worth it's weight in gold! I think most of the circus toys are pretty easily adaptable for chair use, you sound to be good at poi and flexible-you can do a btb weave (I can't!), which means with a bit of practice you can probably manage most things.

My experience of doctors is also poor, mums consultant would go on holiday for 3 weeks, be back for 2, go on holiday for a month, be back for a week, go to a conference somewhere else

good luck!, get well soon!

Live like there is no tomorrow,
dance like nobody is watching
and hula hoop like wiggling will save the world.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Posted: 18th Apr 2005
could be just the excuse you need to try contact juggling

hope everything goes ok hunny

Posted: 18th Apr 2005
Someone at work Recommended THESE guys for chairs. They told me they make custom builds if you talk to them. You might be able to get them to make you a special poi wheelchair!

Feed me Chocolate!!! Feed me NOW!

Posted: 18th Apr 2005
thanks skuduggery, i never knew there were so many types of wheel chair!!

thanks everyone
it really helps keeps my spirits up getting postive messages + support from you all

Posted: 18th Apr 2005
If I were you I'd start conditioning my shoulders for lots of ceiling plane work. Start with lighter poi, even glosticks, and work your way up to heavier "burn" weights. there's lots of cool patterns and stuff in ceiling planes that are overlooked- and they can be really useful in teaching you how to correctly use your arms over your head. just play around and see what happens. if it hurts then your posture is off.

also i'd go check out some glosticker sites and vids, and read all up on my inversions thread, and work on isolations as they will allow you more freedom of space with longer poi. there's lots and lots of poi moves you can do without needing to get near the wheelchair. i bet you could find a welder to alter the handles on about any wheelchair for not much money... should be simple. it may be hard to find a wheelchair with handles that will fold away, and if you had a welder customize it you'd be able to pick the wheelchair without having to worry about the handle design.

-Such a price the gods exact for song: to become what we sing
-Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty.
-When the center of the storm does not move, you are in its path.

Posted: 18th Apr 2005
thanks for the ideas

my boyfriend is a mechanic and has a welder so i was thinking about customising. I was looking at the site that skullduggery said about and wheelchairs certainly are pricey! lots of saving to do!

i've been making lots of lighterweight toys today which has helped, my arms get pretty tired spinning. Just need to find an aluminium supplier in somerset so i can get a lighter staff, thats a lot more difficult in a chair than poi!

Posted: 18th Apr 2005
An idea for sunny days in the park might be to get one of those folding canvas camping/fishing chairs or stools (depending on if you need the back support) to take with you, so you can pick a nice spot, swap chairs and have a spin. Those chairs have lots less sticky-out bits than a wheelchair, even the sporty ones (Also cooler to sit in on a hot day and you can pick one up for a tenner if you look around )

The optimist claims that we are living in the best of all possible worlds.
The pessimist fears this is true.

Always make time to play in the snow.

Posted: 24th Apr 2005
Wheelchairs, stop you from doing very few things, I tend to forget that my dads in a wheelchair.

Yes, a stool sounds like a good idea

Never assume
Always Acknowledge

Posted: 24th Apr 2005
If your boyfriend is good with his welder, he could make you some kind of frame to which you are strapped so you are upright with your arms free. You could try something along the lines of a hammock too, then you could be high enough above the ground. When faced with a problem I get all Heath Robinson though, I'd have you trussed up and swinging from a crane!!!

He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy!