Understanding the Types of Wheelchairs

For wheelchair users, a wheelchair not only increases accessibility, but can also be a source of great freedom and independence. It is not uncommon for wheelchairs to be used during recovery from injury as well, which is sometimes only temporary.

As a result, choosing the right wheelchair depends on a number of factors, which includes not just the cost and functionality of the wheelchair itself, but also the individual needs and abilities of the wheelchair user.

There are a number of different types of wheelchairs available, but in most cases the choice can be boiled down to either an electric or manual wheelchair.

A Manual wheelchair is one that is propelled by the user or by a caregiver, typically by either pushing the chair or using the wheels on the side of the chair.

Today, the image most people conjure up when they consider a manual wheelchair is a frame made out of hollow steel tubes, with a vinyl seat. These are by far the most common type of wheelchair and can be folded up to save space.

This design is based off of the E & J wheelchair, which was first developed around 70 years ago, in an effort to improve the mobility of the older wooden wheelchairs that were popular at the time. Today, while a number of the mechanical parts have changed, as well as design tweaks to improve performance and maneuverability, the overall design remains very similar.

For patients that are able to propel themselves, large wheels with hand-rails on the outside are placed next to the seat. This allows a seated individual to turn the wheelchair easily with their hands. For caregivers, a set of handlebars is usually also on the back of the wheelchair, so it can be pushed, but many newer wheelchairs will simply have a lower back, allowing the device to be smaller and easier to manage.

Special transport wheelchairs are also available, which do not have the large side wheels and are instead intended to be pushed only.

As can be inferred by the name, an electric wheelchair is motorized and moved by an electric motor. Most feature a hand control similar to a computer joystick, which is installed in the base of the chair. Unlike manual wheelchairs, the chair used to hold the wheelchair user is often more similar to that of an office chair, with a much higher back and a good deal of padding. This makes them often one of the more comfortable types of wheelchairs available.

Instead of large wheels on the side, the wheels are much smaller, as is the overall base of the device. The base, which houses not just the electric parts, like the motor, will also store the battery and charging unit.

Either a mid-wheel or standard four wheel design is used, with the latter, the 4 wheel design, being most common. A mid-wheel power chair offers increased maneuverability. It has 6 wheels, with a set of small support wheels in both the front and back of the device, with the middle set of wheels driving and turning the wheelchair.

From a cost perspective, electric wheelchairs are usually much more expensive than manual wheelchairs. It is possible to get a low end model for around $1000, but wheelchairs from the more well known manufactures are usually much more expensive.

Manual wheelchairs, on the other hand, are seldom more than $500 and can often be much less. Since they are so common, it is also very easy to find used wheelchairs for a fraction of their cost. Since from a mechanical outlook, they are quite simple and have few parts that break, providing it has been properly oiled, manual wheelchairs can last an extremely long time.