Best Things to Know When You’re Buying a Wheelchair

Buying the right wheelchair can greatly improve the quality of life for those needing them. Becoming wheelchair-bound doesn’t mean you can’t do anything anymore or you can’t get around. On the contrary, it can actually help you in ways you might not have imagined without it. However, it’s crucial to your health and safety to choose the correct one for your needs.

Basic wheelchair

To start, consider what the wheelchair is needed for. Is it for your home or is it for outdoor use? Is it to just get from a car to an office or is it needed for longer periods of time? Do you want to push it yourself or do you have a caregiver who will push you? What seat measurement do you need? What type of footrests and what type of arms will work best for you? Let’s explore some of the different options.

Manual Wheelchairs

The most basic wheelchair is a manual wheelchair. This is the one with large wheels in the back which make it possible for the patient themselves to push around.

They are available in lightweight, which can be anywhere from 15 - 18 kg, which for a wheelchair is very light. (Standard manual wheelchairs can weigh up to 20 kg.) There are also extra wide wheelchairs as well as bariatric wheelchairs, which are heavier and bulkier but offer reliable stability and support for heavier weights.

Most manual chairs fold very nicely for easy storage, also making it easy to get in and out of a car or van. The leg rests come off very easily as well, making the wheelchair lighter and more compact when it’s folded.

In regards to the arms, you can either choose desk length arms or full arms. You may choose desk arms if the user wants to easily wheel the chair up to a table or desk. The shorter arms give it the capability to get closer to the table and have the user’s feet resting comfortably underneath it. This makes it easier for the patient to eat or work on a table. Full armrests, on the other hand, give the patient more room to rest their hands as well as something to hold onto when they are getting in and out of the chair.

Wheelchair leg rests come in swing away or elevating styles. The elevating leg rests are typically used if the patient wants to pick their feet up while sitting in the chair. The swing away leg rests move to the side of the chair making it easier for the patient to get in and out. You may want to consider a reclining wheelchair which has a reclining back so the user can lean back comfortably.

Transport Wheelchairs

Reclining Wheelchair

If you need (and have) a caregiver to push you, consider a transport chair. These lightweight wheelchairs are used for exactly what the name is; to transport. This is great for getting from a car to an office or getting from one place to another in an easy and simple way. Transport chairs are usually very light, weighing approximately 15 pounds. Transport chairs have a very basic design since they are not meant to sit in for long periods of time. These also come with different arms and leg rests depending on what is needed. They typically come with either 8” or 12” back wheels. For outdoors or on carpet surfaces, it is usually easier to wheel with the 12” back wheels.

Some transport chairs come with hand brakes so the caregiver

can lock them, while others are designed with the brake on the wheels so the patient themselves can easily lock the chair wheels. Transport wheelchairs also fold very easily making it a pleasure to get in and out of a car or van.

Electric Wheelchairs & Scooters

power wheelchairs

Other wheelchair options include power wheelchairs and medical scooters. These are used for patients that have the ability to drive themselves and want independence without physical exertion. They can be used indoors or outdoors for lots of different functions. It makes it easier to get around outdoors on longer outings being that you can just drive around wherever you are going. A motorized wheelchair typically has the same functions however it looks and feels like a power scooter can be used to go shopping or for any outing for that matter. They usually come with a basket in the front to place your belongings. These scooters either come with 3 wheels or 4 wheels. Some come with the seat that swings around making it easier to get in and out. wheelchair, just that it is motorized. A

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AN ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR OR SCOOTER IS A DISABLED PERSON’S ONLY MEANS OF GETTING AROUND

An electric wheelchair or scooter is a disabled person’s only means of getting around. It might look like a simple device but that is not the case as every electric wheelchair and mobility scooter has complicated electronics and mechanical parts. As these parts on a power wheelchair and mobility scooter have movement there is wear and tear involved and if these factors are not maintained on a regular basis, the disability device will break down, or not do as it was designed.

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Regular maintenance on your electric wheelchair or mobility scooter is vital to keep it in tip-top running order and prevent unnecessary breakdowns. The maintenance of mobile devices should be done on a regular basis, depending on the usage. We recommend a service to be done at least every six months to identify any issues before it becomes a breakdown. A full service on a power wheelchair or electric scooter must be done once a year to ensure the power wheelchair or scooter perform optimally. When performing a service on power wheelchair or scooter attention must be given to the following:

Bearings – there are few bearings on all power wheelchairs that need to be inspected and replaced.

These bearings are located on the castor wheels of the power wheelchair. Bearings pick up dust and dirt in the normal everyday use of the power wheelchair and can become stuck and will cause the castor wheel to become sticky and not turning. These bearing should be replaced when this happens. On an electric scooter, the bearings are located in the front wheels and the can also become dirty and sticky which will cause the wheel to become stuck or noisy. Batteries – all power wheelchairs and electric scooters are equipped with at least 2 x 12Volt batteries. This is the power source of the power wheelchair and electric scooter. Just like any battery, these batteries have a limited lifespan of 1 to 5 years depending on the usage of the power wheelchair or electric scooter. The lifespan is determined by charging cycles.

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If the battery indicator on the control display indicates yellow, it will reduce the amount of available

cycles in the battery by 2 and if it indicates red it will reduce by 3 cycles when charged. When the power wheelchair or electric scooter starts performing sluggish or the batteries power does not last as long as always this is the indication that the batteries need to be replaced. Electronics – both power wheelchairs and electric scooters are equipped with power modules that control the power wheelchair and electric scooter. During routine services, the power wheelchair and electric scooter wiring must be visually inspected for chafing or ant breakages.

The wire connectors must also be inspected to ensure all connections are still secure in place. A loose

the connection can cause the power wheelchair or electric scooter to stop working. Wires that short circuit can blow the power module on the power wheelchair or electric scooter and cause it to stop working. Replacing a blown power module on any power wheelchair or electric scooter can be very costly and also cause downtime. Structural – during the service of a power wheelchair or electric scooter it is vital to inspect the frame and ensure structural integrity is still in order. Cracks in the frame of the power wheelchair or electric scooter can cause the power wheelchair or electric scooter to break and cause serious bodily injuries. These structural issues must be repaired immediately if they can be repaired.

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