MOBILITY4LESS.com | 1-800-898-9014
MOBILITY4LESS.com | 1-800-898-9014
Manual Wheelchair Buying Guide and Overview Information If you are buying a wheelchair for the first time, you are probably overwhelmed by the number of wheelchairs and multitude of options that are available to you. What seemed like a simple matter of purchasing a wheelchair has turned into a myriad of choices and second guessing that can leave even the most experienced wheelchair buyers frustrated and confused. Mobility4Less has created this Wheelchair Buying Guide to help you understand what features to look for on a wheelchair and how to fit it properly to the user. It is our sincerest hope that we provide you with a wheelchair that helps its user regain freedom of mobility and will last for years to come.
Covered in this Guide: What Type of Wheelchair Do I Need? How do I know what Seat Size to order? Do I need to know the Back Height? What Armrests should I choose, Full Length or Desk Length? What are Front Riggings? Are all Handrims the same? Getting Assistance
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What Type of Wheelchair do I Need? There are several categories of Manual Wheelchairs available:
Standard
Lightweight
Lightweight-High Strength
Ultra Lightweight
Tilt-in-Space
The first two questions to address in finding the right manual wheelchair is, how much time will the user be spending in the wheelchair and will they be propelling the wheelchair themselves? If the user will be spending the greater portion of their day in the wheelchair and propelling it by use of arms or legs, lighter is always better. We would recommend a Lightweight-High Strength wheelchair like the Invacare 9000SL or 9000XT models. These types of chairs usually weigh less than 34 lbs and are designed to take everyday abuse without breaking. Additionally, while like all wheelchairs they are bulky when folded, they are much lighter than standard wheelchairs and therefore easier to load into a car. Another consideration in choosing the proper wheelchair is how the user will be propelling it. Many wheelchair users propel the wheelchair with their hands but there is a large contingent of wheelchair users that also rely on the use of the legs to help walk the wheelchair along. If the wheelchair user is going to use his legs to propel the wheelchair forward, he must have a wheelchair that sits low enough to the floor as to accommodate his feet resting flat on the the ground. This Seat-to-Floor measurement is critical but easily obtained. To measure for the proper Seat-to-Floor height, simply measure the distance between the floor and the back of the thigh while the intended user is sitting. Don’t forget that if a cushion is going to be used, then the extra height of the cushion must be included in height of the chair.
MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:
How much time will the user be spending in the wheelchair and will they be propelling the wheelchair themselves?
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For instance, if the user’s lower leg measurement is 19 inches, and the wheelchair cushion compresses to 2 inches when sat upon, then the proper Seat-to-Floor height of the wheelchair should be 17 inches to accommodate the extra 2 inches of the cushion. Generally speaking, a half inch leeway is given if you can’t find exactly the height you need. Any more than an inch of leeway, however, will force the wheelchair user to sit unsafely on the edge of the wheelchair or slouch in the wheelchair in an effort to reach the ground. Many wheelchairs offer a variety of Seat-to-Floor heights by utilizing a variety of wheel /caster and axle positions. In wheelchair lexicon, a caster is the front wheel and the wheel is the rear wheel. Physics tells us that a larger wheel is easier to propel than a smaller one and that a smaller caster will have more difficulty in ground transitions such as doorway thresholds. So before you choose a smaller wheel and caster size, make sure the person using the wheelchair is strong enough to manage the smaller wheel sizes.
Seat-to-Floor height can be adjusted with wheel/caster combinations and axle adjustments
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How do I know what Seat Size to Order? Because people come in various sizes, wheelchairs must also. Why does it matter that a wheelchair fit a person appropriately? Just like clothing, a good fit makes for comfortable use. A wheelchair seat that is too wide for its user will leave the user stretching his arms out in an unnatural position to propel it. This will lead to quick fatigue and even injury if the user is forced to propel any substantial length of time. A seat that is too deep for a user will force him to slide forward or “sacral sit” in the wheelchair so that the back of the legs don’t hit the edge of the seat. This type of sitting creates bad posture leading to sore backs and the possibility of pressure ulcers forming on the buttocks. So, it is important to consider the proper wheelchair seat size before buying a wheelchair. To measure for the appropriate seat size, ask the user to sit upright in a regular chair or wheelchair. To obtain seat width measurement, measure across the lap from the outside of one thigh to the outside of the other. This will give you the appropriate width of the user, but not the appropriate seat size. Add an inch or two to the lap measurement so that the wheelchair doesn’t pinch the user and to also accommodate for any weight gain that may occur in the future.
CONSIDER THIS:
On average, users sit in their wheelchairs for 10 hours per day
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It is important that the seat be deep enough to support the entire femur or upper leg. This allows the pressure created from sitting to be supported across the entire seating area instead of solely on the buttocks. To obtain the proper seat depth measurement, measure from the back of the calf to the back of the buttocks. Once you have this measurement, subtract two inches from it to get the proper seat size. This will allow the back of the legs to move without hitting the seat edge. For instance, if the wheelchair user’s measurement is 18 inches, the appropriate seat depth is 16 inches.
Have a question? Call us, we can help
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Do I need to know the Back Height? Not necessarily. There are many variables in determining the best back height, but none are critical considerations unless the user is aggressively propelling the wheelchair in a manner in which his shoulder blades are being inhibited by the presence of a back that is too high. For most users, the back height should be tall enough to lend support without interfering with wheelchair propulsion. This measurement can be had by measuring the sitting user from the seat surface to bottom of the shoulder blades. If you are uncertain whether a back height is proper, many models of chairs have adjustable back heights that can be changed once the user begins using the wheelchair.
What Armrests should I choose, Full Length or Desk Length? Since most wheelchairs offer two different styles of armrest, this is one of the easier decisions to make. Generally speaking, the following guidelines should be followed in choosing the armrests. If the user is able to transfer from the wheelchair independently but is unsteady, then Full Length Armrests offer the best support for making the transfer. By being positioned out near the edge of the chair, Full Length armrests give the user the ability to push off of them to assist in standing. However, because Full Length Armrests are so far forward, they will interfere with the wheelchair user’s ability to get close to desks or tables. That is why many people choose to go with Desk Length Armrests.
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In addition to Desk and Full Length Armrests, some wheelchairs offer Adjustable Height Armrests too. These are valuable for taller users whose elbows would not rest comfortably on the armrests if the user is sitting properly upright in the chair or when a thick cushion is used creating the same scenario for an average height person. If the user is going to be in the wheelchair for great lengths of time, it is important for comfort and health that their arms rest comfortably on the armrest.
What are Front Riggings? Front Riggings are wheelchair terminology for footrests. Because most wheelchairs offer the ability to take the footrests on and off, the mounting systems are referred to as riggings. There are two different basic types of footrests. Swing Away footrests and Elevating Legrests. Swing Away footrests are the basic and most commonly used footrests. These are positioned 70 degrees from the seating surface and are sufficient for most users. Some are available with plastic or aluminum footplates but beware, while aluminum footplates add additional strength, they also add additional weight. Heel loops are usually available on Swing Away footrests and help keep the user’s feet from sliding off the back of the footplate. Elevating Legrests are just as the name suggests. The footrest can be raised and lowered to accommodate the user’s needs. They will have a calf pad on them to support the leg when the legrest is in the elevated position. Elevating Legrests are used when one or both legs of the user are unable to bend to 70 degrees. The Elevating Legrest can be set at a degree of elevation that is comfortable for the wheelchair user. Additionally, Elevating Legrests are used for persons that have extreme edema or swelling in their lower legs. The common practice of elevating the legs helps the fluids that are trapped in the lower leg circulate better.
MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:
Can the user transfer from the wheelchair independently?
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Are all Handrims the Same? Definitely not. Many wheelchairs manufacturers offer composite or aluminum handrims. While composite handrims may be a tiny bit lighter, they tend to get nicked up over time creating a rough and sometimes jagged surface. Aluminum, however, is extremely durable and comfortable to grip. Given a choice, we would always recommend choosing aluminum handrims over composite. Some wheelchairs offer plastic coated handrims that may or may not have projections coming off of them. The plastic coated handrims are slightly thicker and much easier to grip than aluminum or composite. This type of handrim works especially well for someone with severe arthritis in their hands or a lack of grip strength. If the user’s hand is so damaged as to be unable to grip at all, then plastic coated handrims with projections protruding from the rim is a viable alternative to giving up the use of hand propulsion entirely.
Still have a question? Call us, we can help
1-800-898-9014 This wheelchair guide is meant to be just what the name implies, a guide. If you should have further questions regarding your or a loved one’s wheelchair, we encourage you to seek assistance from a qualified therapist or wheelchair seating specialist. Make sure the person with whom you speak is ATP certified by RESNA. For questions regarding the purchase of a wheelchair, please contact Mobility4Less at 1-800-898-9014 or online at www.mobility4less.com.
Weight, user’s ability to propel, comfort and durability are important factors when considering handrims.