Running Out of the Gate

2014 is here, and things are not slowing down.  Active is looking at the industry as the glass is half full, and where there is great opportunity.  We are seeing many national companies buying up local companies and intimidating the local providers like Walmart.  Insurance is changing, and we are now learning the affects of Obama Care.  There is constant pressure to change, and the staff at Active are embracing this not to ensure survival but to become better.

Over the next few months, our customers and partners will see some major changes. Our office is having some renovations to increase it's display space, increase the retail and accessories available to our customers.  We are improving our inventory management system. A face lift on our website will be completed by February to offer a more friendly site to navigate and access the information.  An event calendar will be added and will show local and regional activies, and events to allow the community more involvement.  You will see a higher level of community visability and involvement. More interaction between our customers and business partners to help us become more valuable to the community and remove any inefficiences. Last but not Least, we will be adding more FUN.  We understand that the Medical Equipment business can be sterile and we want to improve the experience not only for our customers but also for our staff.

We realize change is occuring with or without us, and understand that we need to be ahead of the curve to ensure that we are here for our customers, partners and health care professionals.  We also know that what we do is very personal and that our customer wants a company who listens, who cares, who is local, and who will be there to support and educate them.

Thank you for your continued support. We understand that there is a choice for Medical Equipment and know we have to continue to earn your business and referrals.  Please continue to send in comments or suggestions on how we can continue to improve to be your number 1 choice.

This article was written by Carey J. Britton, ATP/SMS, CRTS from Active Mobility Center. Active Mobility Center, located in Pompano Beach, Florida provides and supports; seating, mobility and specialty rehab equipment.  Carey can be reached at (954) 946-5793 or at cbritton@wheelchairguys.com .

The Vast Array of Wheelchair Tires

Joe Navarro, Service Technician with Active Mobility, presented to the staff today an in-depth look at Wheelchair Tires. Joe explained that wheelchair tires are different than bicycle tires as they are non-marking for in-door use. Tires come in a wide variety of sizes, and have different purposes.

Rear Tires range in size from 12” to 26”, and Casters range from 3” to 9” in diameter.  The rear wheel sizes affect the seat to floor heights and reach to the wheel by the wheelchair user.  The rear tires are offered in Pneumatic, Flat Free, or Polyurethane (Poly).  The Pneumatic are always the softest ride, and through research show that are the easiest on the shoulders.  Many uses do not want to have to check and inflate tires so they choose Flat free or Poly.  Flat Free uses the same pneumatic tires, where the inner tubes are removed and are replaced with plastic inserts.  Polyurethane tires are lighter than the Flat Free Inserts and are a little softer ride.

The width of the rear tires also come in different sizes from 1” to 2.25”.  The narrower tires reduce the rolling resistance so the are much easier to start moving and keep moving; whereas the wider tires work better over unstable and softer surfaces (grass /sand). 

High Pressure Tires are used on the many of the ultra-light and sports products. These allow inflation of 90-110 lbs, and offer significantly less effort for self propulsion.  These tires tend to wear faster, but allow for greater performance. These tires have tubes that are either Presta or Shrader valves, which may require a special pump adapter to fill.  Additionally there are tubes that are thicker, called thorn resistant, which offer greater protection from punctures.

Caster Tires, the smaller front wheels, are offered in 3” (rollerblades) to 9” .  Many of these have tires that are molded to the hub and require the entire caster to be replaced, where as others allow replacement tires in both polyurethane or pneumatic.

Although the presentation was dedicated to rear wheels, wheel locks were discussed as they are affected by the tire types.  Many times as wheels wear the wheel locks no longer grip the tires and require adjustment. Additionally some wheel locks perform better on pneumatic tires over solid types.

Scooters, powered operated vehicles, also use both pneumatic and solid tires. The same holds true with these products where air/pneumatic tires last longer in wear, but are susceptible in getting a flat tire and require regular maintenance. Solid tires wear faster than pneumatics however for many the compromise to not becoming stranded outweigh the softer ride and longer times between tire changes.

Joe provided a thorough presentation of tires, and made everyone realize how confusing it can be for a wheelchair user and their caregivers. It is a good thing that Joe is at Active to help advise and service the equipment. Joe can be reached at service@wheelchairguys.com. 

This article was written by Carey Britton, Seating and Mobility Specialist, at Active Mobility Center and can be reached at (954) 946-5793 or at cbritton@wheelchairguys.com.