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Author: Sophie Lester
Role: Head of Spinal OT
Date written: July 2007
Last revised: May 2013
Review date: June 2016
Version: 2.1
Code: PI1029
Shower chairs (for outpatients)
What is a shower chair?
(1 of 2))
Shower chairs are waterproof wheelchairs that allow you to wheel or
be wheeled over the toilet if necessary or into a level access shower.
There are self-propelled models to allow you to move yourself to/from
the shower, or attendant-propelled models to allow a carer to help you
access the shower. It is recommended that anybody with reduced
sensation around their seating area uses a padded product to reduce
the risk of skin damage.
Features available
Shower chairs can have a variety of features that allow them to
be customised during manufacture to meet individual needs. Your
Occupational Therapist (OT) in the Community and the Outpatient OT at
the Spinal Centre can assist with selecting the right product for you.
• Seat width and depth: These dimensions are chosen during
trial and assessment to ensure the correct size is selected to
adequately support your hips and thighs when seated on the
shower chair.
• Backrest: This can be upright or at a slight angle. Angle and
height can be decided during assessment.
• Aperture: Typically, shower chairs used by people with a spinal
cord injury, have a padded seat with a horse-shoe opening. This
allows space for you or a carer to carry out personal care such as
bowel care and washing. The horse-shoe opening can be sited
at the front, back, right or left side of the seat. It is essential to
decide which position is best for you before ordering a shower
chair as the chair frame will be ordered accordingly i.e a left side
access seat can only be fitted to the matching frame. If a different
access point is required after you have received your shower
chair, it is likely that the frame will also need to be replaced and
the funding source is unlikely to agree to meet the cost of this.
Shower chair seats can also have a standard, more circular
aperture, or a padded seat can be ordered without any aperture
at all. If you do not use a shower chair for toilet purposes or if you
have a skin problem that may be aggravated by the edge of the
opening, a plain padded seat may be the best option. This does,
however, give reduced access for washing.
• Arm rest: Arm rests can be vertical or angled, allowing more
Spinal Occupational Therapy
Tel: 01722 336262 ext. 2083
© Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust
Salisbury District Hospital, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP2 8BJ
www.salisbury.nhs.uk
Shower chairs (for outpatients)
(2 of 2)
space between the armrests to allow the best position to rest your arms or for a pressure
lift.
• Foot rests: Foot rests are usually separate and can swing away for transfers. Foot plates
are usually individual and can flip up, or a one-piece footplate can be requested. They can
be fitted with heel straps to prevent your feet from sliding back, providing the heel straps
do not mark your skin.
• Calf strap: A calf strap can be fitted if your feet are at risk from slipping backwards and
getting caught in the front wheels. Fitting a calf strap may, however, make it more difficult
to swing the foot rests away.
• Tilt in space: There is a model that allows the whole shower chair to be tilted in space
and this model is operated by a carer only. For individuals who are unable to maintain
their balance in an upright position, this type of shower chair may be appropriate. It is not
usually possible to fit this model over the toilet.
What are the benefits of a shower chair?
A shower chair allows you to sit in an upright, supported position whilst using the shower and
perhaps the toilet. If it is to be used over a toilet, it will be necessary to ensure that the shower
chair can wheel successfully over the bowl without interference from pipework etc. A shower
chair also helps to keep transfers to a minimum during the morning routine and may therefore
help to limit any deterioration in your upper limbs.
How can I obtain one?
• Community Occupational Therapists (COTs) normally provide or replace shower chairs. If
you have a COT already, you can contact them to discuss this.
• If you do not have a COT, contact your local County Council to be referred to one.
• The Spinal Outpatient OT Team are always happy to provide advice to your COT and to
you if you need a shower chair. The Spinal Centre does not, however, have any access
to funding for equipment. If you need a shower chair replacement, we recommend you
keep your existing chair until you have successfully used the new model, in case the new
shower chair does not suit you.
If you would like advice about shower chairs, please call the Outpatient OTs on (01722) 336262
ext: 2083
Spinal OT
Tel: 01722 336262 ext. 2083
© Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust
Salisbury District Hospital, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP2 8BJ
www.salisbury.nhs.uk