Picking the right wheelchairs to answer your mobility needs
Regardless of whether you’re in the hunt for a power wheelchair for your grandmother or a simple one for your best friend who just had a leg injury, you will be overwhelmed with the wide variety of choices available in the market today. There are motorized wheelchairs and manual types; there are expensive ones and the affordable kinds; and choosing the right one to answer your mobility needs will be a tough decision to make. But here are some important tips that should help you choose the right one.
The first critical factor that you should look into on your search for the best wheelchair is its mobility. Choosing the right wheelchair will give you the freedom to move around easily and enjoy an active lifestyle despite any injury or handicap you’re down with. And when it comes to mobility, other factors like the materials used, the wheel sizes, the weight, whether it’s a folding wheelchair or a power wheelchair, and the special features included should also be examined.
Wheelchairs come in a variety of materials such that some will be heavier compared to the others. The heavier variety includes the motorized or power wheelchair type.
There are also foldable wheelchair types that are great choices for those who don’t necessarily need to use them every day so they can be easily folded prior to storing or when transporting. The rigid wheelchair is most applicable for those who have a regular need to use the wheelchair as these are lighter and normally come with additional features like seat cushions and backrests to provide added comfort for a prolonged use.
You also have to decide on whether you’re going to go for a motorized power wheelchair or pick among the manual wheelchairs.
The motorized wheelchair types are very applicable to use and provide the greatest convenience and independence in terms of mobility for those who are unable to push themselves but nonetheless are still able to run a motorized chair with the use of either a breath-activated device or a joystick.
You also have to look into your wheelchair’s weight. Obviously, the motorized chair will come in heavy compared to their manual counterparts. On the other hand, folding wheelchairs will weigh around 30 to 40 pounds, which shouldn’t be too heavy although they could sometimes be burdensome when you have to lift them in and out of your vehicle.
The lightest chairs are not made from aluminum; instead, they are made from titanium and are a favorite among athletic users. You can also find lightweight chairs that weigh as light as 15 pounds.
And last but not least in your list of considerations is the cost of your chair. Although for most wheelchair users, this shouldn’t be a big factor. Fortunately for those who are in need of medical wheelchairs, the purchase of a chair is normally covered by their health insurance. And if that’s not enough, some medical stores will even go the extra mile and offer financing for every purchase of a chair regardless of whether it’s power wheelchair or a simple manual wheelchair for as long as it’s something that has been medically prescribed for your use.
The search for the perfect power wheelchair or simple manual wheelchair that will provide you utmost mobility should not be a problem anymore. Go online and widen your choices on wheelchairs to choose from.
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