Whitmyer Headrest

From the manufacturer

Headrests are prescribed late and casually, and they are the component most often got wrong — usually because the head is treated as an isolated problem when it is almost always a symptom of what is happening below it. Work upward before specifying. A head that falls forward is frequently a pelvis that has rotated backwards, dragging the trunk into flexion and taking the head with it. Correct the pelvic position and the head often follows. If a headrest is added without fixing that, it holds the head in place while the rest of the body stays collapsed, which does not improve function and can increase discomfort. Where a headrest genuinely is required, what it needs to do varies enormously and this is why Whitmyer offer several distinct support styles rather than one adjustable pad: • **Rest** — a client with adequate head control who needs somewhere to put their head when tired or when the chair is tilted. • **Support** — a client with weak but present control who needs assistance holding midline. • **Control** — a client with no functional head control, or with tone driving the head into extension or to one side, who needs the head actively contained. Those are different products, not different settings, and specifying the wrong one is the common error. A simple pad given to a client who needs containment is ineffective; a containing system given to a client with usable head control restricts them unnecessarily and can be experienced as restraint. Two further points. A headrest is mandatory rather than optional for any client using tilt or recline — the head has to be supported once gravity is no longer holding it over the trunk. And check the mounting hardware clears the client's transfers and does not obstruct a hoist sling. Whitmyer offer several head positioning solutions across the range. Configuration is prescribed per client — contact us for a range walkthrough or a trial fitting.

We aim to make our range as accessible as possible. Some products may not be available in all areas — please contact BMS Plus to confirm availability and discuss suitable options.