Selecting the wheelchair most suitable for you

For people who suffer from reduced mobility, whether all their lives or as the result of a tragic accident or illness, a wheelchair represents the freedom to move around more or less as they wish.

Clearly, though, different kinds of mobility problem are catered for by different kinds of wheelchair. Those wheelchair users who only require something for when they have been exercising somewhat more heavily than usual will have different requirements to those who use a wheelchair on a permanent basis.

Added to this, wheelchairs can be equipped with all manner of useful equipment to help those with severe reductions in mobility and dexterity to gain a new level of freedom.

One other area to consider is whether the wheelchair needs to conform to any particular requirements in terms of robustness or weight. If it is to be used for sport, it will have a very different profile to one that will be used on the high street.

      Types of Wheelchair

There are two principle types of wheelchair – manual chairs and power chairs. Choosing between them is not as clear cut as it may at first seem, although the difference between them should be obvious.

A manual chair requires that the wheelchair user is capable of pushing the wheels along themselves, whereas a powered chair is fitted with it’s own motor and can therefore roll along under its’ own power.

Just because the wheelchair user has full use of their arms does not necessarily mean that they should opt for a manual chair. Some children or disabled people may find it difficult to push themselves along, for example, and if the mobility reduction is the result of an ongoing illness, then it may be wise to plan for the future and buy a powered chair straight away.

There may be a temptation to have both a manual and a powered wheelchair to suit different ongoing needs. For example, when buying for a child, the parents may wish to allow them a certain amount of independent mobility indoors, which might not be appropriate once they leave their home.

Under these circumstances, they may wish to obtain a second, manual, chair, for use outdoors. Since it is likely that this chair need be portable, and since children tend to be reasonably light, it could even be a folding chair.

However, ownership of more than one chair can bring with it additional maintenance costs, which need to be borne in mind when deciding exactly what type of wheelchair is appropriate.

      Choosing a Manual Chair

There are some aspects of wheelchairs which are applicable to both manual and powered chairs. A manual chair is a reasonably simple device, and is usually available in a very few different configurations.

The key choice will be whether it is a permanent solution, in which case comfort and robustness should be considered over portability and storage (foldable) which are applicable concerns for a temporary chair, only to be used rarely as a mobility aid.

However, for those using it all the time, there are a few considerations to take into account which are also applicable to powered chairs. For example, the user will need to transfer in an out of the chair, and so it might be important to choose one which offers the possibility for the user to do so on their own.

Related to this are questions of comfort, such as the possibility to offer multiple positions such as reclining, and change of leg position. All these need to be borne in mind when choosing a chair to suit your needs.

      Choosing a Powered Chair

There are several types of powered chair, ranging from electric powered indoor wheelchairs through to all terrain scooters, and choosing one to fit your needs requires careful thought.

Firstly, if the chair is to be used indoors only, then it can be a lightweight model. Since it is indoors all the time, and never likely to be far from a recharging point, then the mileage obtained from a single charge becomes more of a convenience, or luxury feature.

On the other hand, for predominately outdoor use, or in cases where you can get around indoors without a chair, then the mileage obtained from a single charge becomes more important. You certainly do not want to be caught out in the middle of a shopping expedition!

For those who need to traverse terrain which is more rugged, then perhaps an all terrain scooter would be more appropriate, including finding a tire type and tread to match the severity of the terrain that needs to be covered.

Another important aspect is trying to find a control method that fits your needs. Some common ones include:

        ▪ Joystick

        ▪ Tray Control

        ▪ Switch control by head, feet or hand.

Coupled with this is the need to cater for different controllers. For example, it may be necessary to find a powered chair which has the possibility to allow a third person to override the controls. This is especially useful when a child is beginning to learn how to drive their chair.

If the space where the wheelchair is to be used has tight corners and narrow corridors, or is limited in other ways, then it is also important that the controls are connected to the right kind of drive mechanism.

The best, tightest, control can be obtained by having wheelchair with front wheel drive and a smaller turning circle. Ideally, it should be able to pivot on the spot to allow maximum mobility in a small space.

      Key Manufacturers and Features

For light or active users, some of the best manual chairs include those from Invacare and the Quickie range from Sunrise Medical. These come recommended by, amongst others, the British National Health Service and are part of the range that they provide under a mobility scheme for the disabled.

Invacare also produce a range of excellent indoor/outdoor powered chairs, including some which are foldable but sacrifice very few of the features that make this range stand above the rest; front wheel drive for maximum maneuverability and elevated leg rests and electric back adjustment.