MANUAL WHEELCHAIRS

Choosing the right wheelchair can make all the difference for a person with limited mobility. Manual wheelchairs are generally designed for both children and adults of all sizes who are still able to provide the upper body strength to manually propel themselves in their wheelchair. Manual wheelchairs can be very basic or can be designed with highly advanced, specialized features.

Handi Medical Supply provides highly skilled certified rehab specialists (ATP/SMS/CRTS) who will work with you and your care team along with the wheelchair manufacturers to help you step through the process of deciding on the specific type of manual wheelchair best suited for you.

Manual wheelchairs are divided into four categories; folding, rigid, positioning and sports wheelchairs.

Folding Wheelchairs

• Offer a high level of adjustability, and can accept most seating systems
• Designed for portability and are effective for travel and storageFootrests are removable, as well as most armrests and wheels on some models
• Generally heavier than rigid chairs due to folding cross-braces
• Choice of steel or aluminum frames

Rigid Wheelchairs

• Eliminates the flex associated with the folding manual wheelchair and offers a higher level of performance
• Lighter weight- can be made with steel, aluminum or even titanium
• Footrests can be fixed or removable
• Fixed frame means unable to fold although most models have removable wheels and may have an option for folding back to allow for transport if necessary
• Wide range of seating systems available
• The choice of most full time independent users to allow for high efficiency for all day use

Positioning Wheelchairs

• Commonly known as Tilt wheelchairs or Tilt-in-Space wheelchairs, they address specific needs for positioning, pressure reduction, and support
• Offer high levels of adjustability on all areas of chair
• Compatible with customized or specialized seating
• Clients usually dependent on caregiver to move wheelchair
• Usually not foldable making wheelchair heavier and more difficult to transport in certain situations

Sports Wheelchairs

• Similar to rigid wheelchairs, but have customized features that make them more effective for playing sports