Lindsey Spoon is a stylish young lady living outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was born with cerebral palsy, a motor and movement condition that affects her muscles and mobility. Because of her condition, she has always used a standard wheelchair to get around. Despite all the adversity Lindsey has encountered in her life, she makes the most out of every day and is a strong advocate within the disability community, running a YouTube channel and speaking at national events.
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Though her old wheelchair helped Lindsey get around, it had some negative effects on her comfort level and quality of life. Lindsey has also lived with another medical condition since birth, scoliosis, a curvature to her spine. This is common in children born with cerebral palsy that can progress as they age. Lindsey’s back could not make full contact with her wheelchair, causing her immense back pain and discomfort.
“Sitting in my old wheelchair was extremely painful – most days I would go straight to bed when I got home because it was the only place I was comfortable.”
To make matters worse, her spine was not properly supported with the standard upright wheelchair seat. Not only was the seat uncomfortable for Lindsey, her seating position put abnormal pressure on her esophagus, causing a hiatal hernia and allowing stomach acid to rise into her throat. Her grandmother tells us, it was so painful, Lindsey had to take medication for relief.
Lindsey's local Seating Specialist was working with a small Durable Medical Equipment (DME) company in her area. They said, “After the DME saw the success we had with another patient, they asked to have a pediatric chair in their showroom to show Lindsey the next time she came to have maintenance on her wheelchair. Lindsey’s mom saw the Seating Matters chair and immediately called me.”
Lindsey's Seating Specialist made a few calls to her home, providing a complimentary assessment. Lindsey was able to try both the Seating Matters Sorrento™ and Milano™ chair and ultimately, she picked the Milano™. Being an aesthetic girl, Lindsey loves the beautiful mocha color of the chair and how it looks more like a piece of furniture rather than medical equipment. The real game changer for Lindsey was the tilt in space ability, which allowed her to have full contact with the chair and better distribute the pressure being placed on her back.
“I’ve never been in a chair that can recline more. Right when I sat in the chair, I knew it was my chair. The pain level in my back went from a ten to a three, then a zero.”
- Lindsey
To better accommodate the curvature in her back, Lindsey has a family member lift one of the 3 pillows on the chair’s waterfall back. She is very pleased by the reduction in pain she has experienced so far and there were other surprise benefits as well. “Sitting up in her chair, her acid reflux is alleviated”, her grandma tells us.
You can see more on Lindsey’s story in the video below. Lindsey’s mother is overjoyed with the comfort and quality of life improvements she’s seen within such a short time frame with the Milano™ chair.
“The Milano™ is supportive of Lindsey’s needs, relieves her back pain and I never have to worry about her having a fall at home. It has a natural look – more like a piece of furniture where she looks like she’s part of the family and not excluded from our activities.”
Working with someone as active, driven and positive as Lindsey is incredibly gratifying for the whole Seating Matters team.
If you think the Milano™ might help you or someone you know to sit safely and comfortably, you can book a free, no obligation demonstration of the chair.
CLICK HERE TO DISCOVER THE MILANO™ TILT IN SPACE CHAIR
*Note: The purpose of this blog is to give an overview of the product with some tips to consider on its use. This is not intended to be a substitute for professional or medical advice, diagnosis, prescription or treatment and does not constitute medical or other professional advice. For advice with your personal health or that of someone in your care, consult your doctor or appropriate medical professional.
