United Spinal Association is here to help you obtain the best wheelchair for your spinal cord injury level and lifestyle. Following are some of the programs and tools we offer to help you through the process of identifying your must-haves.
- Download My Wheelchair Guide. We co-developed this app with the Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology at the University of Pittsburgh. Its tools and resources can guide you through the selection, delivery, and maintenance process. It provides practical information to evaluate your unique medical and functional needs, whether you are new to a wheelchair or have used one for a long time. Expect a similar app for powerchairs to launch soon.
- Review the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center’s factsheet, Getting the Right Wheelchair: What the SCI Consumer Needs to Know. United Spinal Association collaborated with MSKTC to develop this and other helpful fact sheets.
- Join United Spinal Association for free. Our membership comes with a complimentary subscription to our membership publication, New Mobility, which covers current information on new manual and power chairs. New Mobility’s newsletter is a rich source for reviews of new wheelchairs and related products.
- Contribute to our crowd-sourced Wheelchair Reviews and Views and read reviews from fellow wheelchair users.
What If You’re Denied?
This New Mobility article, 6 Strategies to Navigate Your Insurance Provider’s Approval Process, offers tips to help you convince your insurance company to approve the equipment you need.
Sometimes even if you do everything right, you may still be denied the wheelchair or wheelchair components that best suit your needs. Our advocacy team requests that you share your story here if this has happened to you. They will amplify your voice, and your experience will help correct the policies that make it difficult for people with spinal cord injuries and other mobility disabilities to secure appropriate wheelchairs.
Please contact United Spinal Association’s Community Supports team for more information or assistance. Join our community by signing up for a free membership. To support our mission, donate here.