Question

A physical therapist observes a patient's wheelchair footrests touching the ground. What is the MOST LIKELY cause?

A. Depth of the chair is too high
B. Depth of the chair is too low
C. Leg length is too long
D. Seat height is too low

Answer 1

When wheelchair footrests touch the ground, it typically indicates that the seat height is too low, which fails to provide proper elevation for the feet and balance for the wheelchair.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a physical therapist observes that a patient's wheelchair footrests are touching the ground, the most likely cause is D. Seat height is too low. Just as stability for the human body is increased by expanding the base and lowering the center of gravity when bending, a wheelchair must have the correct seat height to provide proper support and balance. The footrests touching the ground indicate that the wheelchair's seat is not elevated enough to allow the patient's feet to rest at an appropriate height above the ground.