DIY Wheelchair Leg Rest

Although most wheelchairs come with a rudimentary leg rest, I find that these leg rests often aren’t suitable for the needs of their users. As such, I have done plenty of research to improve the current leg rest, which often comes down to making improvements yourself. So, how do you make a DIY wheelchair leg rest?

There are some simple improvements to your current wheelchair leg rests to make them more comfortable and safer. Add padding, like a rubber liner mat, to the leg rest, as this makes it more comfortable. You can also add straps to keep your feet secured and safe.

Non-wheelchair users may not understand how uncomfortable a wheelchair leg rest is or how essential it is to have one. Still, I find that most wheelchair users benefit significantly from having modified wheelchair leg rests. I will explain how you can make a DIY wheelchair leg rest.

Before explaining how you can make a DIY wheelchair leg rest, I must first emphasize the importance of having a wheelchair leg rest. Many wheelchair users who don’t have any function in their legs also lack sensation in their feet.

Because they cannot move their feet out of the way of obstacles, they often bump their legs and feet into the obstacles. They also cannot move their legs out of the way or lift them up to keep them from dragging on the ground.

I cannot express enough why a wheelchair leg rest is necessary. Without one, you risk damaging your legs and feet. This may become a serious, if not life-threatening, problem for any wheelchair-dependent person.

Unfortunately, however, while most wheelchairs, manual or powered, come with a basic wheelchair leg rest, I find that these leg rests often aren’t ideal for their users.

The leg rests are primarily hard and uncomfortable. They have square or rectangular bases where a user’s feet rest. These bases are usually made of hard plastic or metal. While this makes them durable, they are highly uncomfortable.

I have therefore concluded that most wheelchair users require a more individualized leg rest for their wheelchairs. For example, adding some padding to the leg rest will make it more comfortable. It will also ensure that wheelchair user doesn’t suffer from cold feet or bruising on their feet and legs.

When moving into a wheelchair, a person’s legs are often left to drop onto the wheelchair’s leg rests, which causes bruising and injuries. Therefore, I feel it is important to modify the leg rests, so they are more comfortable.

After doing in-depth research about the different types of wheelchair leg rests available, I have found that there are primarily two types – elevated leg rests and articulated leg rests. As the name suggests, elevated leg rests are fixed in an elevated position.

This allows the wheelchair user to sit with their legs raised in front of them. Depending on their needs, some wheelchair users require this function, while others need a leg rest that can be fixed in elevated and non-elevated positions.

This is where articulated wheelchair leg rests are more useful. They allow me to adjust the leg rest angle according to the user’s needs. For example, if the wheelchair user had physical therapy and requires the leg rest to be elevated, I can adjust it accordingly.

It’s important to know that not all wheelchair leg rests can be set to an elevated position. Some leg rests, especially those that come standard with a regular wheelchair, are fixed at a 70° angle. Not everyone needs an elevated or articulated leg rest; some find these more secure.

I have also seen patients prefer a leg sling or strap that keeps their legs in place instead of a metal or plastic leg rest. Of course, some leg rests are more suitable for traveling in a car than others, which wheelchair users should consider when selecting their leg rests.

But regardless of what leg rests you choose, you can always make some adjustments. These adjustments make the leg rests more comfortable for most wheelchair users, which is why I think it is important that you know about them.

There are a couple of things I consider before altering a wheelchair’s leg rests. Some of these things include how often I must remove the leg rests for traveling and how the space in which the wheelchair user moves looks.

For example, some people live in homes with many sharp turns and narrow passages. In this case, I will ensure that the leg rest has padding on its corners to protect it, and the walls, from getting damaged. Apart from that, I think your biggest aim when making a DIY wheelchair leg rest is to ensure it is comfortable for the user.

Because wheelchair leg rests are usually made from hard plastic or metal, they get uncomfortable after extended use. In addition, the metal wheelchair leg rests are extremely cold in the winter, which may cause further discomfort for the wheelchair user.

So, when making adjustments to the wheelchair leg rest, I usually focus on making the leg rests softer and more insulating, without them being so hot that they will cause the wheelchair user to sweat in the hotter months.

So, what do I use to make DIY wheelchair leg rests?

When it comes to the supplies I use for a wheelchair leg rest, it depends very much on what the wheelchair user needs. However, I usually select a soft, rubberized mat to cushion the leg and footrests. These mats are thick and durable, but they are also really cushioning and will make the leg rests much more comfortable.

I usually purchase a padded mat with a smooth surface, as I can easily wipe this down when needed. First, I’ll trace and cut out the mat to the shape and size needed to pad the wheelchair leg rests. Then, I’ll use a suitable glue (depending on the material of the leg rest and mat) to fix the padding to the leg rest.

If the wheelchair user often complains of a cold, I may also add Velcro to the back of the leg rest. Then, I’ll retrace the leg rest padding design onto a fleece blanket and make a removable cover for the padding. This means I can make the wheelchair warmer for the user in the winter, but the lining can be removed in the summer when it is too hot for the fleece.

Suppose the wheelchair user occasionally needs straps to secure their legs. In that case, I will add some approved wheelchair restraint straps to the back of the wheelchair leg rest. Finally, I will use the same padding as on the leg rests to cover their corners so they don’t damage the home while in use.

It’s important to ensure that the alterations you make to the wheelchair leg rests don’t alter their function. They must still be able to elevate or articulate if need be, and you must still be able to remove them from the wheelchair when traveling.

As you can see, you can follow a few simple tricks to make a wheelchair’s leg rests more comfortable. Each wheelchair user has different requirements for their leg rests. Still, you can always make them more comfortable and suitable for the user after purchasing them. Added padding and linings make wheelchair leg rests softer and warmer.