| Anybody who has ever done a market survey on | | | | lightweight chair, say around 25 to 35 lbs, is easier to fit |
| wheelchairs would know that wheelchairs come in | | | | into a car trunk. Also, they are easy to fold and carry |
| various shapes and sizes and can range from $5000 | | | | when you are traveling. Motorized wheelchairs cannot |
| to $30,000. As an allied health professional, my | | | | be folded. |
| endeavor here would be to make your job of | | | | This brings me to the next criterion which is the |
| choosing a wheelchair simplified to an extent. | | | | dimensions of your wheelchair. Seat width and the |
| Two things to be kept in mind before you set out for | | | | height of the back support are two major things that |
| purchase of a wheelchair are | | | | need to be decided. The Seat width is measured as |
| 1. The level of assistance you would be requiring. | | | | the width of the backside when sitting down. The seat |
| 2. The places where you would be using it. | | | | depth is measured as the measure of the back of the |
| Your condition determines the type of wheelchair you | | | | buttock to the inside of the knee. The back support |
| would require. A person with tetra-plegia would require | | | | height is measured as the length of the top of the |
| an electric wheelchair with a joystick to drive it around. | | | | shoulder to your bottom. |
| However, people with good strength in their upper arm | | | | Add 8 inches to the seat width and that should be the |
| muscles can go in for a manual wheelchair. Why a | | | | overall width of your wheelchair. Transport wheelchairs |
| manual wheelchair can be a better option than the | | | | are much narrower as their overall width is only 3 |
| electric one is because it costs significantly lesser and | | | | inches more than your seat width. |
| is much lighter (4lbs. to 30 lbs.) as compared to its | | | | Anti tips, seat belts, and brake extensions can make |
| powered counterpart (250 lbs.). | | | | your wheelchair much safer for use. Cushions and |
| It is important to give a thought to whether your | | | | back supports help in positioning a person more |
| wheelchair is for inside or outside use or for both or | | | | comfortably in a wheelchair. Also, head control, trunk |
| whether you are planning to do a lot of traveling with it. | | | | control, and upper extremity strength are major |
| It is best to get a wheelchair that can go past the | | | | determinants of the height and the type of back |
| narrowest door frames and passages at home or at | | | | support you would be requiring. Your physical therapist |
| work place. Accessibility is the key word. You would | | | | can be of great assistance in customizing your |
| not want a frustrating situation where size constraints | | | | wheelchair. |
| make it impossible to turn it left or right. | | | | I hope that you are better informed about wheelchairs |
| I give a lot of importance to the size and weight of a | | | | and what to look out for while buying one. An informed |
| wheelchair. After all, those are the two factors that | | | | customer is the smart customer. |
| determine maneuverability and thus your freedom. A | | | | |