School chair footrests
Our client is a school pupil with achondroplasia, which is a form of dwarfism. The sort of chairs used in science, art, domestic science, and wood/metalwork are higher than normal school chairs and Remap were asked if we could add foot rests at a suitable height.
The solution
Remap engineers Ian Midgley and Steve Brown made a set of four units for use in different classrooms, which clamp onto the chairs, and can also be adjusted up and down.
Constructions is mainly in wood/plywood.
Adjustable feet were added at the front to mitigate the risk of tipping if our client inadvertently stood up on the rests to reach further across a desk. Non-slip strips were also added for grip. “Stauff” clamps normally used to secure hydraulic pipes had rubber liners added to the jaws to clamp the units tightly to the chair legs without damaging or crushing.
The units bolt together so any running repairs could even be undertaken in the school workshops.
The benefit
Our client can use a fold-flat stool to get up onto the chair from the side, swing his legs around, and have a comfortable foot rest set to exactly the right height for him.
No modifications were necessary to the chairs so they be returned to how they were in the future.
- Skills involved:
- Issues Addressed:
- Activities Helped:
- Location:
- Solution:
