Welcome To Wheelchairs For Us

Most people who have full use of their legs often take for granted things like their ability to run, play with their children, frolic around with their pets, enjoy sports and adventurous activities, and just go for a simple leisurely walk. But those who cannot use their legs, either because of some injury or due to old age, are the people who know the true value of being mobile. Although it would be great if everyone could walk and run, sadly it is not so; which is why wheelchairs can be considered to be one great invention!

The most basic definition for a wheel chair is that it is a chair that has wheels. By using a wheelchair, a person who would otherwise be immobile because of the loss of their legs, can have much desired mobility. They need not depend on other people to help them with their daily business and can have the dignity of being able to fend for themselves.

When the wheel chair was initially invented, and for a good many years after that, it was easy selecting one as they were more or less the same. But with new technologies coming to the fore each day, the wheel chair too evolved and started offering a lot more in terms of comfort and added mobility. Here is a look at some of the different types of wheel chairs available nowadays.

Types of Wheel Chairs

Although there are many different kinds of wheelchairs on the market today, they all basically fall into two broad categories – manual and power.

1. Manual wheelchairs: As the name suggests, a manual wheel chair is one which needs to be pushed by someone from behind. It can also be moved by the occupant of the wheelchair by using their arms to move the chair wheels. Earlier models of manual wheelchair were difficult to move by people in the wheelchairs unless they had very good upper body strength and strong arms. But today, a manual wheel chair can be as light as 10 to 12 pounds and can thus be moved easily by most people. A manual wheel chair can also be of different types such as:
   • Folding wheelchairs
   • Fixed frame wheelchairs
   • Sports wheelchairs
   • Orthopedic wheelchairs
2. Power wheelchairs: These do not need to be pushed manually but can be moved using a control panel on the chair. They run on batteries and are also known as motorized or electric wheelchairs. Power wheel chairs are great for those who do not have good strong arms or who have lost the use of their arms along with their legs. Even if you can propel a wheelchair with your arms, using a power wheelchair helps you to save your energy which can in turn be used towards making your life that much fuller.

These are the two main types of wheelchairs that you can choose from. Buying from leading makers such as Quickie Wheelchairs, Sunrise Medical, Millennium, Invacare, Pride Mobility, Lifecare, Permobil etc, will ensure that you get a quality wheelchair that is best suited to your individual needs.