UC WCA - reaching

Spoonie_Turtle

Just wondering as I can't seem to find anything online - what kind of context are they thinking of for Activity 3, Reaching?

I'm not expecting to score points here because I have full mobility of my arms and shoulders, but I can't do anything repetitive due to fatigue / intolerance of exertion, especially repetitive muscle movement which drains my energy quite quickly. The muscles start feeling heavy, then they ache, become stiff, and then they burn. If I hold my arms up for too long or do too much reaching up and down at once, they feel like ice is running all through them.

In terms of daily activities involving reaching, I can wipe my face over and put on moisturiser. I can comb my hair once most days, though sometimes needing a rest partway through, and I can put it up in a bun which takes 30secs-1min (most days, once in a day). Most days I don't get dressed, just put on a dressing gown or a fleece over my PJs. I can briefly reach up to turn the shower on, hang my towel up, things like that - but in isolation. I can't do those kinds of things one after the other.

So, what do they mean by 'repeatedly' in terms of what reaching one would be expected to do in the workplace?

(Just to complicate matters, 90% of the time my arms are below waist height, e.g. using my laptop on my lap, because at a desk would mean consistently having my arms up higher than they can cope with. Even having them up on the arms of a chair tires my muscles out after a while - handy for a powerchair user(!) :rotfl:)

poppy12345

This may help you https://wcainfo.net/activities/reaching-lcw


Based on what you stated above, i don't think you would score any points here. In my opinion it's a ridiculous descriptor.


Are there any other descriptors you think you may apply to you?

Spoonie_Turtle

Thanks, wcainfo is my starting point for each one already it doesn't say any activities other than the ones in the descriptors.

Based on mobilising I should automatically be awarded LCWRA but I need the rest of the form to be consistent with severity of condition making the severity of mobility restriction indisputable. Also lots of the areas will help me with my PIP application when I do that (probably in the new year, give myself some breathing room between completing this form and applying for PIP) so if I can be as comprehensive as possible now, it means I'll have done half the work for PIP too.