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Wheelchairs

Introduction
Safe Wheelchair Use Outdoors
Types of Wheelchairs
What to look for when buying a Wheelchair?
Wheelchair Etiquette

• Remember when you are out and about that you need to be visible. Consider clothing that is bright and noticeable
• Consider appropriate weather wear that is comfortable
• When the person is sitting comfortably in the chair use the manufacturer's seat belt or install one that suits the wheelchair design as well as the wheelchair users safety needs.
• Keep all four wheels on the ground.
• Keep hands clear of wheel spokes when maneuvering.
• Use appropriate gloves if you are maneuvering yourself or assisting someone in a wheelchair.
• Plan your route as you go along.
• Scan the environment for gradients, surface, obstacles etc.
• For a smooth ride avoid surfaces that will jolt the foot pedals or the footplate. You do not want to be thrown out of the chair!
• Beware of steep gradients. Know your limitations as well as your strength. If you are assisting a wheelchair user it may be best to proceed in reverse in the steepest parts of any outdoor outing.
• Use the breaks frequently to control speed. Never build up too much speed.
• When going up a steep gradient it is safest to proceed backwards. It gives you more control. If you go forwards you may find the front wheels lifting of the surface because of the distribution of weight in the wheelchair.
• In urban areas use curb cuts, curbs drops to move into the road. If they are not available use people's driveways.
• Cross the road in places that give you and other road users maximum of visibility. Wheelchairs are not always the most speedy forms of transportation so you need time for a comfortable ride across roads.

Attendant-propelled chairs are designed to be propelled by an attendant using the handles, and thus the back wheels are rimless and often smaller. These chairs are often used as 'transfer chairs' to move a patient when a better alternative is unavailable, possibly within a hospital, as a temporary option, or in areas where a user's standard chair is unavailable. These chairs are commonly seen in airports. Special airplane transfer chairs are available on most airlines, designed to fit narrow airplane aisles and transfer a wheelchair-using passenger to and from their seat on the plane.

Manual or self-propelled wheelchairs are propelled by the occupant, usually by using large rear wheels, from 20-26 inches in average diameter, and resembling those of bicycle wheels. The user moves the chair by pushing on the handrims, which are circular tubing on the outside of the large wheels. The handrims have a diameter that is slightly less than that of the rear wheels. Skilled users can control speed and turning and often learn to balance the chair on its rear wheels - do a "wheelie". The wheelie is not just for show - a rider that can control the chair in this manner can climb and descend curbs and move over small obstacles.

One-arm drive enables a user to guide and propel a wheelchair from one side. Two handrims, one smaller than the other, are located on one side of the chair, left or right. On most models the outer, or smaller rim, is connected to the opposite wheel by a folding axle. When both handrims are grasped together, the chair may be propelled forward or backward in a straight line. When either handrim is moved independently, the chair will turn left or right in response to the handrim used. Another alternative is a lever-drive chair that propels the chair forwards by using a lever that is pumped back and forth. Some chairs are also configured to allow the occupant to propel using one or both feet instead of using the rims. Many of these variants were designed for medical reasons, but are also useful in wheelchair sports: e.g. the one-arm drive enables a wheelchair user to dribble a basketball while moving forward.

Junior or child wheelchair is another type of wheelchair. It is designed to meet the child’s changing needs in the growth period and have to be designed to help the kids in overcoming their social difficulties and walking. This makes a handicapped child feel socially acquainted with the colorful wheel chairs that they are using. It does not only aid a child with walking difficulties but it gives the child a warm feeling to be accepted by other normal kids.

• Weight
• Designed for outdoors/indoors
• Size
• Weight capacity
• Ability to fold into a standard trunk
• Power source of electric wheelchairs
  • Wheelchairs with a rear wheel power source usually move faster than wheelchairs with a front wheel power source.
• Reclining back
• Removable armrests
• Adjustable footrests
• Swingaway footrests
• Seat widths
• Warranty
• Cost

• The following suggestions enable better communication with people who use wheelchairs: The key concept: Focus on the person, not on his or her disability.

  1. It is appropriate to shake hands with a person who has a disability, even if they have limited use of their hands or wear an artificial limb.
  2. Always ask the person who uses a wheelchair if he or she would like assistance before you jump in to help. Your help may not be needed or wanted.
  3. Don't hang or lean on a person's wheelchair. A wheelchair is part of his or her own personal or body space, so don't lean on it, rock it, etc.
  4. Speak directly to the person who uses the wheelchair, not to someone who is nearby as if the wheelchair user did not exist.
  5. If your conversation lasts more than a few minutes, consider sitting down, etc. to get yourself on the same eye-level as the person who uses the wheelchair. It will keep both of you from getting a stiff neck!
  6. Don't demean or patronize the person who uses a wheelchair by patting him or her on the head. When giving directions, think abut things like travel distance, location of curbcuts and ramps, weather conditions and physical obstacles that may hinder their travel.
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  Information obtained from National Institute of Health