Life With ALS.com
+ Diagnosed Aug 2005
+ Bipap March 2007
+ PEG July 2007
+ Trache and Vent July 2008
Still Living, Loving & Laughing
We have spent a bit of time trying to find a sling that would work properly. Finally gave up and modified one. They are rather expensive ($400.00) so we thought hard about the modifications before we did them.
What we ended up doing is taking a medium hammock sling and shortening the leg straps. The straps were so long they were constantly getting hooked on things when my wife was trying to put it on, shortening them prevented this and made it easier to put on. Then we put straps with hooks on the lift to compensate for the shorter straps. In the pictures they are the red straps. The length of them can be adjusted.
There is a sufficient opening that is created by the fact that there is space between the back and the leg straps. I am positioned a bit differently than what the manufacturer shows. The sling does not go under my bum, it stops at the bottom of my back. The leg straps are quite close to my crotch but not close enough to pinch anything or be uncomfortable. This leaves my bum totally exposed so having a bowel movement is not a problem. Don't get a sling that is too big, our first was a large and that did not work. I am 6‘ and a medium was adequate. There is no fear of falling through. The leg straps actually support you in a sitting position - no chance of falling through.
The sling does not go under my bum so we can leave it on and I am not sitting on it. All we do is take the leg straps out from under my legs and tuck them beside the seat on my powerchair. So the sling never gets taken off, it is there when I am in my powerchair and stays there when I am in bed.
Here are some unflattering pictures that I hope will show enough detail you can see what we are doing. I can’t hold my head up so, as I say, they are not flattering.
Added: July 17, 2010
Updated: Sept 29, 2010