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Cub Clinical Overview and Adjustments
Understanding the Cub's Clinical Features and Adjustment Options
Selecting a pediatric wheelchair is about more than choosing the correct size—it's about providing a seating system that grows with the child while supporting proper posture, comfort, and function. In this clinical overview, Dave Calver, Occupational Therapist and Co-Founder of Participant Assistive Products, walks through the Cub Postural Support Wheelchair, explaining its key clinical features and demonstrating how each adjustment contributes to individualized positioning.
Designed for children from approximately four years of age through their teenage years, Cub offers an exceptional range of adjustments that allow clinicians to adapt the chair as the user's needs evolve.
Built for Everyday Mobility
One of Cub's standout features is its optional All-Terrain Third Wheel, which can be quickly attached using the integrated tube receivers and locking cotter pins.
This accessory improves mobility over uneven terrain such as grass, gravel, sidewalks, and trails while also making the chair suitable for jogging or longer outdoor activities.
Tilt and Recline for Clinical Positioning
Cub provides independent tilt-in-space and recline functions, allowing clinicians to optimize positioning for both function and comfort.
Tilt-in-Space
The chair offers an impressive tilt range from -9° to 45°, which can assist with:
Pressure redistribution
Skin protection
Improved digestion
Fatigue management
Easier transfers
Functional positioning throughout the day
Because the seat and back tilt together, pelvic alignment is maintained during repositioning.
Recline
The backrest reclines independently from 75° to 135°, with seven secure locking positions.
This feature is particularly useful for:
Rest periods
Pressure relief
Personal care
Medical procedures
Accommodating users with limited trunk control
The recline system incorporates dedicated locking mechanisms to prevent accidental release during use.
A Wheelchair That Grows with the Child
One of Cub's greatest strengths is its ability to accommodate growth without requiring a new wheelchair.
Adjustable Hip Width
The seat width adjusts from approximately 8 inches to 14.75 inches, allowing clinicians to match pelvic width while maintaining appropriate support throughout childhood and adolescence.
Adjustable Back Height
The backrest height ranges from 12 inches to 22.5 inches, making it easy to maintain appropriate trunk support as the user grows.
Adjustable Seat Depth
Seat depth is adjusted using a captured center bolt, allowing quick modifications while preserving proper femoral support and pelvic positioning.
These growth-oriented adjustments help maximize the service life of the wheelchair while maintaining optimal clinical fit.
Comprehensive Postural Support
Cub is designed to provide extensive postural support through multiple adjustable components.
Headrest
The headrest offers adjustment for:
Height
Depth
Rotation
This flexibility allows clinicians to position the head appropriately for comfort, alignment, and functional activities.
Leg Rests and Footplates
Each leg rest can be independently adjusted for:
Height
Angle
Depth
This independent adjustment makes it easier to accommodate leg length discrepancies, contractures, or specific positioning requirements.
Pelvic Positioning
Cub includes a standard 4-point pelvic positioning strap, helping maintain proper pelvic alignment—the foundation of effective seating.
Trunk Support
The wheelchair also includes a butterfly-style body harness, designed to provide additional upper body support while promoting a stable and functional sitting posture.
Hip Guides and Lateral Supports
Standard hip guides and lateral trunk supports are highly adjustable, allowing clinicians to modify:
Height
Width
Depth
Angle
This versatility enables individualized positioning for a wide variety of postural presentations.
Designed for Efficient Clinical Setup
A feature that clinicians will particularly appreciate is Cub's QuickProvision™ System.
Most adjustment points throughout the wheelchair use standardized 6 mm bolts with 10 mm heads, reducing the number of tools required during setup.
This standardized hardware allows providers to make multiple clinical adjustments quickly and efficiently, significantly reducing setup time during equipment delivery or follow-up appointments.
Easy Transportation for Families
Despite its extensive clinical capabilities, Cub has been designed with transportation in mind.
The video demonstrates how the chair can be quickly prepared for transport by:
Removing the seating system from the base
Folding the wheelchair frame
Removing the 24-inch rear wheels
Once disassembled, Cub becomes compact enough to fit into the trunk of a standard passenger vehicle, such as a Toyota Corolla, making transportation significantly easier for families.
Clinical Tip
While Cub offers a broad range of adjustments, each setting should always be configured according to the user's clinical assessment and seating prescription. Adjustments such as seat depth, hip width, tilt, recline, lateral supports, headrest position, and lower extremity supports work together to optimize posture, comfort, pressure management, and functional performance. Small changes can have a significant impact, so each adjustment should be verified with the user seated in the wheelchair.
Final Thoughts
The Cub Postural Support Wheelchair combines exceptional adjustability with thoughtful clinical design, making it a versatile seating solution for growing children with complex postural needs. From growth accommodations and advanced positioning options to transport-friendly features and the efficient QuickProvision™ system, Cub is engineered to simplify clinical setup while providing the flexibility needed to deliver individualized support over many years of use.
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