
Drum Stool Removable Backrest
A professional drummer with Motor Neurone Disease could not get onto the stool for his drum kit from his wheel chair. He had quite strong arms therefore he could shuffle forward over the stool, leaving the wheelchair behind him.
This method of getting onto the stool meant that there could not be a fixed back rest as it would get in the way during transfers.
Some means of folding the backrest down while transferring was needed, allowing him to get the backrest up again and fixed unaided.
The solution
The stool and backrest were commercially available items that the client had already procured. So these had to be modified in some way allowing the backrest to drop out of the way to allow him to get on the stool, and then bring it back and secure it in place.Various solutions were considered – including electric motors, levers to operate a latch from the front of the stool etc., but it was realised , and tested with the client that he could reach around behind him and fix the backrest himself. This is due to the fact that the MND has not greatly affected his upper body – allowing him to play drums in the first place! So the solution was to make a simple mechanism to allow the backrest to drop down to the floor on a pivot, and then be brought up again and clamped with a simple bolt. The seat base was reinforced with a plywood disc to strengthen the assembly.
The benefit
The client is now able to play the drums for around 20 to 30 minutes, whereas previously he could only manage around 5 minutes.He is able to can get onto the stool and fix the backrest from his wheelchair, and return to his chair unaided.
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