The tech came from the medical equipment company to measure Namine for a new wheelchair. She has some pretty specific needs, which, we discovered, can no longer be fulfilled by a stock wheelchair. Her legs and hips are unique, even among those who are also diagnosed with caudal regression syndrome.
Namine’s left knee does not bend, which has resulted in her leg extending past her chair’s cushion. We had initially thought that the solution would be a longer wheelchair, but as she’s grown so much, no wheelchair — even an adult chair — is made with such a long frame. It would not be feasible for many reasons, like turn radius and center of gravity.
Namine’s new wheelchair will be longer than her current one, but it will still not be long enough to accommodate her left leg. To address this, her new chair will also come with what is known as an amputee pad. It will be an extra cushion, attached to the frame, which will sit under her left foot to provide support. It will also be able to swivel, so that Namine can move it out of the way when she’s transferring or climbing up; she can then move it into position under her foot when she’s seated in the chair.
The new chair will also be wider than her current one. The reason for the additional width is not so much her hips, but rather because of her right leg. The femur is seated in the hip socket at an angle, which, combined with the half-moon shape of the femur itself, causes the leg to angle outward. Her current wheelchair pushes against her leg, so she will need the additional room.
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