Transfers: Car Transfer
These instructions for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) caregivers describe how to safely transfer a child from into a car from a wheelchair.
Patient instructions:
There are multiple ways to assist your child in and out of the car. The best technique depends on a number of factors including your child's weight-bearing status and the seat height of your car.
Follow the instructions from your therapist. If your child is:
Able to bear weight through 1 leg
If your child is able to stand on 1 leg, you can assist them to do a stand-pivot transfer to the car.
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Position the wheelchair next to the car.
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Lock the wheelchair.
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Make sure the leg rests on the wheelchair are out of the way before the transfer.
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Have your child scoot forward in the chair so the weight bearing leg is flat on the ground. If your child needs help scooting forward, assist them to shift their weight to one side and then shift the opposite hip forward.
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Either place your hands under your child's bottom, or at the gait belt, and lift up to help your child to stand.
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Make sure your child is not putting weight on their injured leg. (Figure 1)
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Assist your child to turn so they are facing away from the car.
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Have your child reach back for the seat while slowly assisting them to sit.
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You may need a second caregiver to assist the child from inside the car while you help turn the child and help bring their legs into the car. (Figure 2)
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Figure 1
Figure 2
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Non-weight bearing through both legs
If you child is not allowed to put weight through either leg, or unable to help perform a standing transfer, you will need to assist them into and out of the car.
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Lock the wheelchair.
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Make sure the leg rests on the wheelchair are out of the way before the transfer.
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If you are able to safely transfer the child on your own, you can lift your child and place them on the seat of the car.
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If your child needs 2 people to lift them
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One caregiver stands at the child's trunk, with their arms underneath the child's shoulders.
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The second caregiver stands at the child's legs and can lift either under the knees or closer to the hips depending on the child's size.
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The caregiver helping at the child's trunk should be in charge of counting to make sure both caregivers lift at the same time.
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Lift the child out of the wheelchair. Bend with your knees and do not lean over at your back. (Figure 3)
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Keep the child close to you throughout the transfer. Holding the child away from you with outstretched arms places the child at risk of slipping and may hurt the caregiver's back.
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You may need a second caregiver to go inside the car and assist the patient from behind once you place them on the seat. (Figure 4)
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The caregiver inside the car can help by lifting at the child's hips while the caregiver outside helps at the child's legs.
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Assist the child to turn and face forward in the seat.
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Figure 3
Figure 4
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Tips for car transfers and the ride home
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Consider pushing the front passenger seat all the way forward to increase space in the back seat for your child's legs.
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You can stack pillows under your child's affected/injured leg for comfort and swelling management. (Figure 5)
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Figure 5
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Reviewed on February 13, 2023, by Alison Troilo, PT, DPT