Whether you plan on being in a wheelchair for just a short time or for the duration of your life, it is very important to pick the right one for you.

With so many wheelchairs on the market today, it can be a tough task to undertake; but you can easily purchase the right wheelchair for you by becoming knowledgeable about your choices. Before you buy your new mode of transportation, it is best to have an understanding of the different types of wheelchairs.

Manual wheelchairs are wheelchairs that need to be controlled by the person in the wheelchair, or by somebody pushing the wheelchair. There are a few different types of manual wheelchairs - lightweight or sports chairs that roll easily for those with upper body strength and are designed for every day use; standard manual wheelchairs that have the traditional cross brace frame and added support, child or youth wheelchairs that grow with a child and come in a variety of colors and styles; specialty chairs that are specifically designed for a variety of wheelchair lifestyles and needs and institutional wheelchairs that are the most affordable, but designed only for minimal wheelchair use - commonly used for transporting people in hospitals and nursing homes. They are most suitable for short-term use, for those who don’t use a wheelchair too often or for those who have upper body strength. Those who have limited movement or a weak upper body may need someone to push them, or may want to consider the electric wheelchair.

Electric wheelchairs are wheelchairs powered by a motor. They were created especially for those individuals with limited or no body mobility, or for those who use wheelchairs as their primary source of getting around. They are pricier than manual wheelchairs, but the cost is definitely a wash when considering if your wheelchair needs are substantial.
Electric wheelchairs come in a few styles - the traditional style electric wheelchair resembles a manual wheelchair with the exception of the motor, battery and controls; and the platform electric wheelchair look more like a seat placed on top of the motor encasement.

The motor is often placed below the electric wheelchair in order to minimize any noise. The electric wheelchair controls are usually to the right or left of the arm rests, and can even be repositioned based on your wheelchair needs. People who enjoy outdoor activities regularly may need to be careful in an electric wheelchair - most models are designed for indoor use and can crack or become faulty over time. But, there are some indoor/outdoor models marketed today, and may be the outdoor enthusiast’s best electric wheelchair bet.

Sports wheelchairs differ from the traditional manual wheelchair - they are very lightweight and designed to withstand the normal wear and tear that goes along with a number of sporting activities. Sports wheelchairs use lightweight metals that can withstand a beating like titanium, chrome, aluminum and steel tubing.

The base of a sports wheelchair is wider than other traditional wheelchairs in order to support different sporting activities, and the center of gravity can be adjusted for the individual using the sports wheelchair. The sports wheelchair is generally affordable, but the more custom features it contains, the more expensive it will be.

Bookmark to:

Wheelchairs are a boon to not only the handicapped but also for the elderly people. There are various types of wheelchairs. Some are manually operated and the others are electrically operated. Some wheelchairs are operated with the help of sensor devices. Here is a little information about the enhancement of living condition of the elderly and handicapper people with the help of the wheelchair fitted with sensors.

As mentioned earlier the wheelchairs are of immense help to the handicapped people, elderly people and others who could not walk due to various medical ailments. Those people need to move on their own. Confining themselves within four walls will harm them physically and mentally. Wheelchairs are nothing but chair on wheels. The chairs will have four wheels. The rear wheels will be larger than the front wheels. The chairs will be provided with sensors for safety, ultramodern navigation modules and steering that is omni directional.

The introduction of powered wheelchair is of biggest help for the severely disabled persons. They can move to different places without the help of others and even without exerting themselves much as in the case of manual wheelchairs. Conventional wheelchairs are very difficult to operate for the people who have limited psycho -mental capacity. There are two reasons for this. The first one is their mental and physical inability to operate the wheelchair.

The other reason is the complicated household environments such as small bathrooms located in one corner of the house with narrow passage. Controlling the wheelchair will be hard for those who have restricted psycho-mental capacity. In order to help severely affected people through research the technicians have come out with newer model. These models are provided with sensor instruments. These sensor instruments fitted in the wheelchair prevent the collision of the machine with any object be it is wall or other furniture items.

Hence the occupant need not worry about the collision and the subsequent injury while maneuvering the machine through the narrow passage. There is more freedom of operation. Some of the wheelchairs are provided with facilities like playback [moving on the prescribed or recorded direction and path] and back -tracing [facility to reverse the recent application]

The occupant of the wheelchair should be taught very well about the functioning of the wheelchair. It is better to make the occupant to go through the operating booklet thoroughly. Incase on any doubt about the particular function, it has to be clarified by the technician then and there. The basic function of the wheelchair must be made to known to the occupant otherwise we may need to design or order specific wheelchair for the occupant, I mean for the disabled person.

Few models of the wheelchairs are fitted with IR or ultrasonic sensors. The prime function of this sensor is to prevent dashing, thus providing safe movement. Some other wheelchairs are provided with sensors that help in movement directed by the environment. These sensors help in moving the wheelchair along the wall or through the door or for docking the wheelchair at station. Few other models were provided with special control devices such as play-back and back-tracing as mentioned earlier.

As the wheelchair is fitted with more advance equipments the movement the wheelchair by the occupant becomes very easy and the occupants are less burdened. At the same time as the functionality of the machine becomes more the safety becomes very important which should never be compromised.

Though the powered wheelchairs move automatically with the press of button, the speed and the direction must be decided by the occupant. Hence the occupant must be given proper training before letting him to operate the machine on his own. For some time it is better to ask the occupant to operate the machine inside the house. Once he is confident of himself, he can be allowed to use the wheelchair wherever he wants.

Though there are difficulty in understanding and operating the powered wheelchair, there is no doubt that these powered machines enhance the standard of living of the handicapped and the elderly people once they are familiar with the machine and its operation. The occupant will be confidant of himself, the dependency of the occupant on the other person for his movement will be less. The freedom of the occupant is ensured with the sensor controlled wheel chairs.

Bookmark to:

Wheelchairs have been around for hundreds of years, but early wheelchairs were intended only to help a disabled individual move from point A to point B. As society progressed and disabled individuals became more integrated, the role of the wheelchair began to change as well. Wheelchairs are now considered not only a means of transportation but also as a way to allow users to express their individuality. Users can find custom-made high quality ultra-light high-performance wheelchairs as well as accessories that enable them to individualize their look and style. The move from functionality to individuality is discussed in this article

This article with photos

There were many attempts to connect furniture to wheels dating back to the time of Christ. But perhaps the first wheelchair was invented for King Phillip II of Spain. A drawing of the King dated 1595 shows him in a chair with wheels, armrests and footrests. However, he needed assistance to propel it and the chair resembled more a modern baby’s highchair than a wheelchair of today. In 1665 one of the first self-propelled vehicles was invented by Stephan Farfler. But it looked more like a present day hand-bike than a wheelchair as it was propelled by hand cranks attached to the front wheel. The modern wheelchair began to take shape in the late 19th century to early 20th century with the advent of push rims for self-propulsion and slings for seat and backrests. The 20th century saw a rapid development in wheelchairs, from the first motorized wheelchair, to the first folding wheelchair, to lightweight and sports wheelchairs.

The most recent two decades have seen the progress in the modern wheelchair accelerate. They are lighter and perform better than ever before. There are now many possibilities available to improve the ride, from suspension systems which help to remove vibrations and jolts, to ultra-light weight frames which enable better performance, to special designs for every individualized need and taste. The recent trend is towards customization. Customized wheelchairs are now being requested for many reasons:

- fitting special physical needs

- improving or providing special performance

- expressing style and image

Customization of the wheelchair to fit some special needs of the user can include simple modifications of standard designs or creating an entirely unique design. Imagine a mother who is a triple amputee. How will she move herself and her baby? Special wheelchairs can now be designed to help her. For example a user with an amputated arm can use a special wheel which has dual handrims to allow both wheels to be controlled with one hand. The wheelchair can also be modified so that it stretched in front, allowing the child seat to be attached to the wheelchair in front of the mother. Other examples may include designing extra long or extra short wheelchairs for very tall or small users or reinforced wheelchairs for heavy users or specialized devices for users that have limited motor control or functions. Customized wheelchairs are now being regularly designed to accommodate nearly every special need.

Individualizing wheelchairs for performance is often required for athletes or very active users. This can include creating special wheelchairs for dance with the ideal center of gravity which help the user to perform spins and complicated maneuvers with ease. Dancers with limited motor control can have special handles created which allow their able bodied partners to assist them in their turns or maneuvers. Tennis players can have special requirements like reverse tilt seating position where the back of the seat is higher than the front, in order to give increased power in the arm and body movements. Rugby players need specially designed wheelchairs that can take a very hard hit without damaging the wheelchair or the occupant.

Customization for performance is not only for athletes, it can also improve the comfort for everyday users. Frames can be custom designed to fit the individual’s body like a glove. Also, customized wheelchairs are lighter and usually perform better. Most mass produced wheelchairs are made by using adjustable brackets to hold the frame together so that a prefabricated wheelchair can be adjusted to fit different individual’s sizes and requirements. However, these brackets create weight. Customized wheelchairs are made to fit the individual that they are created for. Instead of using adjustable brackets, the wheelchair parts are welded together. This means that the wheelchair is not at all adjustable, so it must be designed correctly by an experienced professional. However, since welds are lighter than brackets, customized wheelchairs are considerably lighter. They also usually perform better since the energy from the push may be lost in small movement within the brackets.

Customization can also individualize the look and style. Wheelchairs can be painted with special colors or designs, upholstery can be made to order, lighted casters, funky spoke guards with individualized patterns and bling-bling wheels with rotating spinners give the wheelchair a very unique look. Accessories can be purchased to complete the look. Leather, zip-on, frame covers can give an elegant style and bags made from material to match the upholstery can complete the look.

Advances in assistive technology, such as the recent progress in wheelchair design make it easier for disabled individuals to integrate into society. But even with new technology, users would not be able to integrate without public access and funding to purchase the new technology. The best wheelchair in the world would not help a disabled person to move about if society did not provide ramps, special doors and other infrastructure to enable access to public spaces, transportation, sidewalks and roads. And while in some countries laws have been created and public funds have been set aside to help disabled people integrate, in many other countries access is not yet available and wheelchair users are left at home. In such countries wheelchair individualization is still a thing of the future. Assistive technology can improve the wheelchair but it takes a progressive society to improve the surrounding world.

Bookmark to: