Until a few years ago, buying a wheelchair was as simple as buying fruits or vegetables; they were all the same. People just picked any boxy, steel frame with vinyl upholstery and huge wheels. Neither were there many options to pick from and nor were people so aware of how choosing a good wheelchair can positively affect their mobility. But today, thanks to the innovations in assisted devices technology, a wheelchair is much more than simply mobility equipment. Choosing the best one for you requires considering various factors like your disability, age, lifestyle and personal interests.
Nowadays there are almost as many wheelchair styles, colors, and options available as there are people to use them. Many manufacturers offer models specifically designed to meet the changing needs of children, while others offer specialized models for the aged in their product lines. Some manufacturers have also taken to designing wheelchairs for sportspersons, professionals, housewives and travelers. This article will explore the different types of wheelchairs currently available and the consideration in choosing the best one for you.
The foremost concern in selecting an appropriate wheelchair is your physical needs according to your age, disabilities and abilities. To get started on the selection process, you can consult professional wheelchair prescribers such as occupational therapists or physicians, who will help you assess:
Once you have a basic idea of your requirements and ability, you can decide whether you should opt for a manual or power wheelchair. Consider as examples, a paraplegic who has strong arms but weak legs and a quadriplegic who has both weak arms and legs. While the former can decide on a manual wheelchair, the latter must adopt a power chair for optimum comfort. Assessments like these will also determine whether you need any special seating systems or limb supports in the chair.
Simply put, wheelchairs are of two basic types - Manual and Power. Manual chairs are physically or manually propelled while power chairs move on electricity.
Manual wheelchairs are the oldest design of wheelchairs that is currently available in several types and styles. While most are propelled using arm strength, some chairs with a lower, or hemi, frame are designed to be propelled using leg strength too. Manual wheelchairs range greatly in the number and kinds of optional features and custom modifications. Here are some of the popular types:
Standard Manual Wheelchair
Standard or everyday wheelchairs have the traditional wheelchair style featuring a folding frame, swing-away or elevating footrests, fixed or detachable armrests, and a mid-level or high back with push handles.
Detachable Wheelchair
A detachable wheelchair as the name suggests comes with detachable footrests and/or detachable armrests.
Orthopedic Wheelchair
The orthopedic wheelchair is usually a detachable model with additional elevation footrests
Light Weight, Sports Wheelchair
Lightweight or Sports wheelchairs refer to the lighter weight of the chair frame. Originally developed for racing, these chairs have become increasingly popular for daily use
Manual Wheelchairs
Another innovation in the wheelchair market is the creation of power wheelchairs. These are motoriozed wheelchairs that move on electricity and do not need to be physically propelled. Researchers and doctors, the world over, agree that using these chairs is a huge benefit to patients because not only does it help in conserving energy but also in increasing self-esteem and the development of other skills.
Traditional Style Power Wheelchair
These wheelchairs look much like standard manual chairs and generally incorporate a motor system with a battery beneath or behind the seat.
Power Wheelchairs with Affixed Seating System
This kind of motorized wheelchair is a more modular chair with a power base with an affixed seating system. This style allows the seat to be raised or lowered to various heights
Power Wheelchairs
You must actively participate in the selection of a wheelchair for yourself because no one understands your surroundings and needs like you do. Ask yourself whether it be used primarily indoors or outdoors? Will it be used for play, in the home, in school, or in a combination of settings? Will the chair need to be transported? The answers to these questions will help you ascertain the best wheelchair for you.
Quick Find Wheelchairs offers advice, buying tips and reviews on more than just wheelchairs. You can find useful facts and information on a range of mobility equipment and disability aids for the disabled and elderly. We also help you buy adjustable beds, recliner chairs, crutches, rolling walkers, hydraulic wheelchair lifts, portable handicap ramps, walkers and canes.
Adjustable beds help the disabled sleep in a comfortable position using a motor that offers a head and foot incline and zero gravity positions. They come with a wireless control device that helps move the bed into the right position and help with many medical conditions such as arthritis & rheumatism. Buying an adjustable bed
Two position, three position and infinite position electric recliner lift chairs help the elderly and disabled move smoothly from a sitting to a standing position. This great enhances their mobility and independence. If you are thinking of buying a powered lift chair, read our guide to understand all the options available to you. Buying a lift chair
Home stair lifts for wheelchair users allow them to move around homes with multiple levels without assistance and offer a smooth ride. You can choose between hydraulic and electric powered home stair lifts to make your home safer and more accessible. Vehicle lifts are also a great fit for your wheelchair van, offering a smooth ride from your home to your desired destination. Choosing a wheelchair lift
A portable wheelchair ramp offers flexibility of use whether it is to move around between elevated sections of a home or to get on and off the vehicle. This gives a disabled user independence and liberty to move around on their own without assistance and can prevent accidents or injury. Buy the right wheelchair ramp
Wheeled walkers or rollators have adjustable frames with wheels attached so they can be pushed ahead of you when you move offering balance and walking support. A rollators frame can be adjusted to the height of the walker and you can choose between three or four wheels depending on the level of support you need. Guide and information on rollators
Ergonomically designed walkers and canes are lightweight and sturdy offering support for a person with limited mobility and can offer unmatched portability and convenience. Quad canes offer great balance for the elderly while bariatric walkers are specifically designed to help overweight patients. Choosing the right walker or walking cane
There are a number of different type of crutches available depending on the kind of mobility support you need. The four common ones are the under-arm, fore-arm, platform and knee support crutches. An light-weight crutch can offer mobility that wheelchairs often can't and they also use minimal storage space. Types of crutches for the disabled