Wheelchairs allow people to move around with little to no assistance from others. A manual wheelchair can offer a sense of independence. Getting one is a good decision if you or your loved one has limited mobility. But with several products on the market, finding the right one for you and your needs can be challenging.
The best way to find out is to understand the manual wheelchair parts and components first. This will help you decide what would work best for you or your loved one. Luckily, this article covers the advantages of manual wheelchairs, their parts, and their functions. This way, you can understand how everything works and contributes to the wheelchair’s functionality.
Advantages of Using Manual Wheelchairs
Manual wheelchairs offer many advantages over other types of wheelchairs, including the following:
- Cost-Effectiveness
Manual wheelchairs are generally the most cost-effective type of wheelchair in the market. This is mainly because they require no power source other than the user’s strength. Moreover, they need less maintenance than power wheelchairs. This helps users save money in the long run.
- Portability
Manual wheelchairs are more lightweight and easier to maneuver compared to other wheelchairs. This makes them ideal to use in small or tight spaces. They can also be folded up and stored, making them easy to transport and carry in your car or by hand.
- Exercise-Friendly
Using manual wheelchairs is a good form of exercise for people with limited mobility. Unlike other wheelchairs, the user has to actively move the manual wheelchair by pushing the wheels. This provides aerobic exercise and can help improve the user’s core strength, cardiovascular fitness, and balance.
- Durability
There are fewer moving parts in manual wheelchairs than in motorized or electric wheelchairs. They are usually made of higher-quality, stronger, and more rigid frames. This makes manual wheelchairs durable and easier to propel forward.
The versatility and benefits of manual wheelchairs make them a practical and empowering choice for individuals seeking reliable mobility solutions.
Different Manual Wheelchair Parts and Their Functions
Knowing the different parts of a manual wheelchair and what they do can help you pick the right one. In addition, if you understand these parts well, changing them won’t be too tricky. The good news is that manual wheelchairs are simple to figure out. Here’s a list of all the parts and why they matter:
Frame
The frame is the tubular structure that supports the seat, armrests, wheels, and other parts of the wheelchair. It is the skeleton of the manual wheelchair and comes in two types: a folding frame and a rigid one.
A folding frame has a cross brace mechanism under the seat, allowing the wheelchair to fold flat. This is useful for storage and transportation. On the other hand, a rigid frame is lighter but isn’t as easy to transport as a folding frame.
Additionally, a frame can be made from different materials, such as:
- Aluminum
- Steel
- Composite
- Carbon Fiber
- Titanium
Pushrims
The pushrims, also called push rings or hand rims, are attached to the outside of the chair’s rear wheels. The user uses these to propel themselves forward and come in different friction coatings and shapes.
The pushrims can be made of aluminum, steel, or titanium. It can also have friction coatings made of plastic or rubber. These coatings help the user grip and propulsion and prevent any risk of hand injuries.
Seat/Cushion
The seat supports the user using a wheelchair and can come in different depths and widths. For a user to be comfortable in their wheelchair, the seat usually comes with a cushion. The cushion helps the user to sit upright and comfortably, especially when they’re using the wheelchair for a long period of time. It’s an important part of every wheelchair and can be of different types and materials.
Ultimately, a seat with a proper cushion keeps the user stable and helps prevent the risks of pressure sores or serious injuries.
Armrests
These are where the user places and rests their arms when they’re not moving and act as additional support when moving. Depending on the user’s preference, they can be fixed, removable, or foldable. They can also have different lengths of padding, normal or long, which can be placed at various heights to adjust to the user’s needs.
Footrests
These support the user’s feet and lower legs and are adjustable to accommodate different lengths. They can be fixed, removable, or foldable and come in different styles.
If the wheelchair would be mostly used in tight spaces, the footrests should be removable. But, if there are no space problems, they should be fixed since they’re less fragile. Furthermore, elevating footrests would be ideal if the user needs to have their legs raised or suffers from stiff knees or injuries.
Wheels
There are two main types of wheels in a wheelchair: the front and rear wheels. They’re what allows the manual wheelchair and user to propel forward and move around.
The front wheels, or castor wheels, are the smaller wheels. They’re designed for steering, have less friction, and are easier to maneuver since they can move in any direction. The rear wheels, on the other hand, are bigger and can only move forward or backward. They’re also where the pushrims are attached to.
These wheels have tires that enable them to move smoothly on any surface. They’re commonly pneumatic or solid tires. Pneumatic tires are smoother and more comfortable to use than solid ones since they cushion the imperfections of the ground. However, they require maintenance. On the other hand, solid tires may be harder to drive by, but they can’t get flat and don’t need any maintenance.
Brakes
Brakes are designed to stabilize the wheelchair when moving into other surfaces or if the user wants to slow down or stay stationary. They’re also called wheel locks and are used by pulling or pushing a lever. However, these brakes can get in the way of propulsion. Because of this, some users prefer not to have them and only rely on their hands to keep the wheelchair from moving.
Backrest
This is a fixed part or area where the user can rest their back. Most of the time, they offer postural support as well, but that depends on their type. Like the seat, the backrest comes in different widths or dimensions depending on the user’s needs.
Depending on your postural support needs, you can get different backrests, including a sling, adjustable, or rigid backrest. If you want a relatively light wheelchair, choose a soft backrest, which can be a sling or an adjustable one.
Push Handles
These are found at the back of the wheelchair and are used by another person to move the wheelchair around. They’re often made of rubber and are installed to make it more comfortable for the other person pushing the user along.
Conclusion
Manual wheelchairs offer many benefits compared to other types of wheelchairs. The main ones are their maneuverability and ease of use. However, for anyone new to wheelchairs, choosing a wheelchair can be pretty challenging. Fortunately, understanding manual wheelchair parts and their functions helps with this. So, if you want an easier decision-making process, learn all about them.
If you want more options to help with your or your loved one’s mobility issues, we offer our massive wheelchair collection. You can find all kinds of wheelchairs and accessories to accommodate your needs!