Wheelchair ice skating..

Invasion

Hi

I'm considering going skating with some friends in a few weeks, it'll be the first time I've been skating in my chair, the last time I went I was actually skating! The rink we're going to is absolutely fine about people in wheelchairs using the ice rink at the same time as other people, but I'm curious as to what to expect, I figure that my electric chair will be unusable (no fun being stuck with wheels spinning ) and that I'll need someone who can skate reasonably well to push me... Any experiences/advice worth knowing?! Thanks

T--J

My husband was given rubber grips to fit on his shoes so he was able to push our son in his manual chair easily. It was great fun for me and youngest son too because we're unable to skate, we hung on to the sides of his chair & whizzed around with hubby pushing us all!

jennihen

Saw loads of wheelchair users (try abbreviating that and not laughing at the mental image) at the Eden project on the ice. Looked liked all were having a great time. Hope you have fun!!

jennihen

PS - there was another thread about this a couple of months ago -Januaryish

jetta_wales

I've never seen anybody on an ice rink in a wheelchair but that sounds awesome. I'm not a wheelchair user but I think even an able bodied person would find that fun. I've got a mental image somewhat simelar to bumper cars now because you'll be sliding but not falling on your face in the bambi kinda way the rest of us do.

I really do hope that you have a brilliant time, let us know how you get on.

longhotbath

we go iceskating every year at Hampton Court and its FAB !! my son and his friend go in manual wheelchairs, and keep the brakes off. You dont need to go with a fantastic skater as the wheelchair gives the skater extra stability.
However - my son is a speed freek and we book an ice marshall so he can go reaaaaaallly fast!!!

Hope that you have a fantastic time!

Invasion

Thanks all for the replies, I've got one of my friends who can skate reasonably well and is also pretty amazing at wheelchair skills not-on-ice (no banging my feet into people and walls!) as she's a physio who's happy to push me, and I imagine there'll be the usual excitement about it anyway I'm stupidly excited about it! At least I won't be on my bum on the ice freezing cold!

LameWolf

Invasion, please come back and tell us how it goes; I'd love to try this, but there's no-one to go with me, so I'll have to make do with your description.:)
Hope you have a great time.

Lou76

Invasion wrote: »

Thanks all for the replies, I've got one of my friends who can skate reasonably well and is also pretty amazing at wheelchair skills not-on-ice (no banging my feet into people and walls!) as she's a physio who's happy to push me, and I imagine there'll be the usual excitement about it anyway I'm stupidly excited about it! At least I won't be on my bum on the ice freezing cold!

That sounds fab, I'm sure you'll have loads of fun.

I used to love skating (able bodied) when I was younger, and had bags of confidence, no fear etc.

Each year when Dancing On Ice comes around I wish I still had the confidence to give it a go but I know for a fact I'd end up breaking bones - either mine or some else's. :rotfl:

LameWolf wrote: »

Invasion, please come back and tell us how it goes; I'd love to try this, but there's no-one to go with me, so I'll have to make do with your description.:)
Hope you have a great time.

Pity you're not in Glasgow, I'd come along with you in a minute. At least with a wheelchair for stability, even I surely couldn't do any damage.

hyltonlad

cant wait to hear how it went i done a bit skating when i was a kid hopeless i was if i kept it up i could have joined in wheelchair have fun.
hyltonlad

crutches

please say how it went.I'm about to get a chair to help me get out more and this sounds so much fun