Selecting the right chair, especially for a first-time wheelchair user can be confusing. It’s always a good idea to work with an occupational therapist who has experience with various kinds of wheelchairs, but here are some mobility basics on wheelchairs.
Manual Wheelchairs
People with upper body strength typically use a manual – they propel it with their arms on the rims of the wheels. Today’s standard comes in every color and designed for much superior performance. Newer chairs ride truer and are much easier to push than the old-fashioned one. The lightweights, whether with either a rigid frame or a folding frame, are also easier to transfer in and out of cars.
Power Wheelchairs
Many people cannot push a wheelchair with their own arm strength and may require a wheelchair powered by batteries. Power chairs come in several basic styles. The traditional style looks like a beefed up standard manual plus the batteries, motor and control systems. There are also platform-model power chairs with a more ordinary seat fixed atop a powered base. Scooters come in three- and four-wheel configurations and are typically used by people who don’t require them full time.
Tilt or Recline Wheelchairs
Some people use special wheelchairs to distribute pressure and thus reduce the risk of skin sores. These chairs also increase comfort and sitting tolerance. One type of chair, called “tilt in space,” changes a person’s orientation while maintaining fixed hip, knee, and ankle angles. The whole seat, in effect, tilts. The other chair option is called a recline system, which basically changes the seat-to-back angle, flattening out the back of the chair and in some cases raising the legs to form a flat surface.
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