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Choosing an Electric Wheelchair
Powered wheelchairs with a stand-up mechanism
These wheelchairs incorporate a method of stabilising you in the chair so that the seat and backrest can flatten out, lifting you to a near vertical position. You are usually held in by chest and knee straps. You are in control of the stand-up mechanism, and this will enable you to reach items at a higher level. The wheelchair may also benefit your health by providing some pressure relief and improvement to circulation, digestive system etc. However, medical advice should be sought before trying one. Powered wheelchairs with an elevating seat The height of the seat units in these chairs can be adjusted so that you can reach higher levels. Most mechanisms work from the battery although a small number have a gas lift which require you to stand up before the seat can be elevated. The high level footrests do not allow you to get close to cupboards. Care must also be taken to ensure that feet/footrests do not get caught while elevating.It is not advisable to drive with the seat in the elevated position, especially on slopes where the wheelchair is likely to be unstable. Many models are quite difficult or impossible to dismantle. Powered wheelchairs with a stair-climbing facility A limited number of wheelchairs have special wheels or caterpillar tracks that enable them to climb up and down flights of stairs. They are controlled from the standard control unit which is usually situated on one of the armrests. You need to have good trunk control, although the angle of the seat unit can be adjusted so that the chair remains stable. The mechanism works slowly up and down the stairs, taking approximately 10 seconds per step. Powered wheelchairs with a tilting seat unit These wheelchairs contain a unit which enables the seat/backrest angle to remain constant but tilts the whole unit backwards. If you have severe muscle spasms, which may cause you to slide out of a standard 90° seat unit, you will find this type of chair useful. Tilting the chair back often breaks this pattern. Check whether the mechanism is manually or electrically operated, and if it can be tilted with you in it.
Powered wheelchairs for use in cars
These chairs are designed to fit into certain adapted cars by replacing the front seat so that you can drive from your wheelchair or be a front passenger. A special hoisting mechanism lifts the wheelchair from behind. The wheels are then retracted into the main body of the chair and the chair rotates round and is locked into position. Wheel retraction can be done manually or by a powered mechanism.The hoist is controlled by a joystick or rocker switch which are fitted on the driver's door or central control panel. Wheelchairs for users with long legs
If you have longer legs, you may find that the height and depth of the seats on many standard wheelchairs do not accommodate your legs. However, to avoid potentially dangerous levels of pressure on the pelvis area and lower back (which could result in pressure sores), you need to ensure your feet are properly supported. At the same time the body weight/pressure should be evenly distributed along the whole length of the underside of your thighs to just behind the knees. Lengthening the footrests can provide extra space from the knee to the ankle, but remember that long footrests may hit or scrape against the kerb when kerb climbing. Another solution is to raise the height of the seat with a thick cushion, as long as the armrests can also be raised and the backrest is high enough. Alternatively, elevating legrests could be considered. If the legs are stretched out, the hips and ankle-joints can remain at 90° and your weight will still be equally distributed along the underside of the thigh. However, this solution will slightly increase the overall length of the wheelchair.
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Contributor's Note
This intel reflects only one of my activities. I also write about and/or have websites on Vespa Scooters, Lambretta Scooters, Hardy Banana plants, Medical memorabilia, reborn baby dolls and much more. Hope you enjoyed the read, Philip Davey
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This intel was contributed by Phildave
Phildave
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May, 2012
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