As individuals age or encounter injuries, their ability to move can become a significant concern. Limited mobility can diminish one's independence and quality of life. This is because it restricts their ability to move about as they once did. Modern wheelchairs provide a variety of styles and customizable features. These features aim to help restore mobility and freedom. So, choosing the most suitable wheelchair is a crucial and empowering decision.
This guide aims to help you get a reliable and suitable standard wheelchair for you or your loved one. Below are all the essential factors and features you must consider based on your or their specific needs and comfort.
What Is a Standard Wheelchair?
A standard wheelchair is known as a manual wheelchair. It’s a mobility chair with a large rear and smaller front wheels. It’s designed to be either manually propelled by the user or pushed by another person for help.
Standard wheelchairs are portable, collapsible, and easy to use. They can also be used indoors or outdoors, and even for long periods of time.
Factors to Consider When Choosing and Buying Standard Wheelchairs
To ensure that the wheelchair would suit your or your loved ones’ needs, consider the following factors and expert tips:
1. Mobility Needs
Before anything else, you first need to assess the user’s needs. While doing so, consider both their indoor and outdoor requirements. Consider their ability to self-propel and their level of independence.
Here are some specific things to consider:
Indoor Mobility
This includes activities like moving around the house, going into rooms, navigating doorways, and more. Remember that maneuverability and compactness are crucial for ease of navigation.
To be specific, think about these two factors:
- Maneuverability
Most standard wheelchairs have smaller front wheels. This enables users to do sharp turns and easy movements through narrow spaces.
- Floor Surface
Think about the type of flooring you have inside your home. This ensures that the wheels can smoothly move indoors.
Outdoor Mobility
If the user plans to use the wheelchair outdoors, you should consider what situations there would be. For instance, consider uneven terrains and curbs and different weather conditions. The wheelchair you choose should be sturdy and stable enough to navigate the outdoors easily.
Here are some specific features to consider:
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Large Rear Wheels: Although this is a common feature among standard wheelchairs, make sure that the one you choose is large enough. Larger rear wheels offer better traction and stability over uneven terrain outdoors.
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Wheel Locks: To ensure stability and safety outside, make sure the wheelchair has secure wheel locks.
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Shock Absorption: This feature would be helpful in minimizing the user’s discomfort when moving on rough surfaces.
2. Comfort and Support
Comfort and support are essential in ensuring the user’s optimal experience. The design of the wheelchair should have enough cushioning and adjustable features to provide the user support in terms of posture, comfort, and overall well-being.
Here are some key features to look for:
Well-Padded Seats, Backrests, and Armrests
Well-padded surfaces on the chair support and reduce pressure points when the user sits on the chair, even for long periods. This ensures a pleasant seating experience, especially for the elderly or disabled users.
Adjustable Footrests
The adjustable feature makes it easy to provide the user with personalized support. Moreover, proper positioning of the feet helps promote better circulation and reduces any risk of leg fatigue or swelling.
Ergonomic Design
Ergonomic designs help maintain proper posture from the shoulders to the waist. This reduces the risk of strain and discomfort on the back and neck of the wheelchair user. Most chairs with ergonomic designs have supportive backrests with lumbar paddings. These help reduce the pressure on the back for a healthy spinal alignment.
Breathable Materials
Comfort isn’t only about cushioning. The materials used in the wheelchair are also essential to ensure comfort. Breathable materials provide that there’s proper ventilation and hygiene. This then prevents potential moisture build-up on the seat. This also makes it easy to clean and prevents discomfort when sitting.
3. Weight Capacity
This refers to the maximum weight the wheelchair can safely support and is an essential factor to check. Make sure to check whether the wheelchair’s weight capacity matches or exceeds the user's weight. This is crucial for their comfort, safety, and overall mobility experience using the wheelchair.
4. Size and Dimensions
Remember, one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to wheelchairs. The size and dimensions influence the user’s accessibility, comfort, and mobility when using the wheelchair.
Consider the following when checking the wheelchair’s size and dimensions:
User’s Height
The seat-to-floor height should be enough for the user’s leg length. This allows their feet to rest comfortably on the footrests or the floor whenever needed.
Turning Radius
This is the space required for the wheelchair to make a complete turn. A wheelchair with a small turning radius would be more convenient for places with small spaces. This would allow them to navigate tight spots and corners without a problem.
Seat Dimensions
The seat width should have enough space for the user’s hips to sit without restrictions and feel cramped. Also, the seat depth should be checked enough to ensure the thighs are well-supported.
5. Portability and Storage
If the user would need to transport their wheelchair, consider the wheelchair’s weight and foldability. Although they're generally lightweight, check if your preferred chair is foldable. Foldability would make it easier to store and transport. This makes it ideal for people who love to travel.
6. Accessories
Most wheelchairs nowadays are more customizable to cater to the user’s specific needs and preferences. Here are some of the most useful wheelchair accessories you can consider:
Seat Pads
These can provide extra comfort and pressure relief for the user. Seat pads can prevent pressure sores and reduce discomfort, especially during extended sitting. They can even help with proper posture.
Bags and Pouches
These can be attached either to the armrests or backrest of the wheelchair. These pouches and small bags allow users to keep small essential items with them when using the wheelchair, including phones, keys, and wallets.
7. Braking System
Lastly, make sure to check if the wheelchair has a well-functioning braking system. It’s a crucial safety feature that would allow the user to stop the wheelchair, avoid any unintended movements, and prevent accidents.
Conclusion
Mobility can become a major issue for anyone. It takes away one’s independence and comfort in moving around. Standard wheelchairs offer better features to cater to every wheelchair user’s needs and preferences. But, there are still many factors to consider when buying, which we discussed above to help you make a better-informed decision.
If you want to look at some options, you can check our standard wheelchair collection. We offer wheelchairs with different features to accommodate every user’s needs and wants!