Ottobock folding wheelchair is the “perfect fit” for Paralympics-bound powerlifter
Paralympic powerlifter Ali Jawad has said that a lightweight folding wheelchair by Ottobock has changed his life for the better and is going with him to the Paralympics in 2021.
Ottobock supplied Ali with his first wheelchair in December 2020 after he reported finding his previous chair too big for him due to his body shape changing due to Crohn’s Disease.
When searching for a new chair, Ali thought of mobility equipment specialist Ottobock due to its long-standing partnership with the Paralympics.
He wanted a folding chair that was a good fit for him and that looked good on the platform when he is competing and was recommended the Ottobock Avantgarde.
According to Ottobock, the Avantgarde Ottobock manual wheelchair is one of the lightest folding wheelchairs in the world, weighing 8.7 kg, thanks to its aluminium tube frames.
Now in its fourth generation, the compact wheelchair, which is available in a large range of colours, has an extremely small folding size and features push handles and caster wheels.
The fit of a wheelchair chair, Ali says, is critical, as when it fits perfectly it makes pushing more energy efficient and covering longer distances is less tiring – something which is even more important when you are training for the Paralympics.
Ali commented that having a lighter chair enables him to “be more mobile and free”.
For Ali, he says, it is very important to him that the chair folds through the middle so he can simply fold the chair and put it straight in the back of the car and not have to worry about taking the wheels off.
Ali also explains that nearly as important as getting the perfect chair is also having a comfortable, durable cushion which doesn’t give you sores.
He adds that he is looking forward to taking his Avantgarde to the Paralympics, knowing the chair is durable and robust and will withstand all of the traveling and the amount of distance it will need to do around the Paralympic village.
“For me it has been the perfect fit, it has changed my life for the better,” he said.
Established in the UK in 1976, Ottobock is a supplier of innovative and practical solutions that restore human mobility and help people to rediscover personal independence.
Its product range includes prosthetic and orthotic components, wheelchairs, and rehabilitation and mobility products, including the recently launched Wingus power wheelchair.
