Wheelchairs

Wheelchairs:

A chair with wheels which can be used when walking is difficult or impossible due to illness, injury, old age related problems, or disability is known as a wheelchair. Wheelchairs come in a various formats to meet the specific needs of the users. They may include individualized controls and specialized seating adaptions. It may be specific to particular activities, as seen with sports wheelchairs and beach wheelchairs.

Accessories for Wheelchair:

There are a wide range of accessories for wheelchairs. There are cushions, cup holders, seatbelts, storage bags, lights, and more. Cushions are used for comfort and posture. If a wheelchair user does not have proper posture with his/her wheelchair, the user will add a cushion to the seat. A wheelchair user uses seatbelts for security or posture. Some wheelchair users want to use a seatbelt to make sure they never fall out of the wheelchair. Other wheelchair users use a seatbelt because they can sit up straight on their own.

Types of Wheelchair:

There are various types of wheelchair, differing by propulsion method, technology used and mechanisms of control. Some wheelchairs are designed for general everyday use. Others are used for single activities, or to address specific access needs.
Types of Wheelchair include:

Manual self-propelled wheelchairs:

A self-propelled manual wheelchair contain a frame, seat, one or two footplates and four wheels. Usually there are two caster wheels at the front and two large wheels at the back. There are generally a separate seat cushion also.
Manual attendant-propelled wheelchairs:
An attendant-propelled wheelchair is almost similar to a self-propelled manual wheelchair. But with small diameter wheels at both front and rear.

Powered wheelchairs:

An electric-powered wheelchair, also known as a "powerchair" is a wheelchair which additionally incorporates batteries and electric motors into the frame. It is controlled by either the user or an attendant, most commonly via a small joystick mounted on the armrest, or on the upper rear of the frame.

Single-arm drive wheelchairs:

A single arm drive enables a user to self-propel a manual wheelchair using only a single arm. The large wheel on the same side is fitted with two concentric handrims as the arm to be used. One of smaller diameter than the other.

Reclining and tilting wheelchairs:

Reclining or tilt-in-space wheelchairs have seating surfaces that can be tilted to various angles.

• The seat-back tilts back, and the leg rests can be raised, while the seat base remains in the same position in the case of reclining wheelchairs. This is somewhat similar to a common recliner chair.
• The seat-back, seat base, and leg rests tilt back as one unit in the case of tilting wheelchairs. This is somewhat similar to the way a person might tip a four-legged chair backwards to balance it on the back legs.

Standing wheelchairs:

A standing wheelchair is one that is used to support the user in a nearly standing position. They can be used as both a wheelchair and a standing frame. It allows the user to sit or stand in the wheelchair as they wish. Some are entirely manual, where as others have powered stand on an otherwise manual chair. Some others have full power, tilt, recline and variations of powered stand functions available.

Sports wheelchairs:

A wide range of disabled sports have been developed for disabled athletes. It include basketball, rugby, tennis, racing and dancing. These wheelchairs are used for each sport to suit the specific needs of that sport. They are usually non-folding with a pronounced negative camber for the wheels, and often are made of composite, lightweight materials.

All-terrain wheelchairs:

All-terrain wheelchairs allow users to access terrain otherwise completely inaccessible to a wheelchair user.

Smart wheelchairs:

A smart wheelchair is a powerchair that uses a control system to augment or replace user control. The purpose is to reduce or eliminate the task of the user of driving a powerchair.