6 Things You Should Know Before Purchasing a Manual Wheelchair

If you’re in the market for a new manual wheelchair, whether it’s for a temporary disability or for elder use, there are a lot of things you need to consider, and the decision can easily become overwhelming.

From style to colors to sizing, the options are endless, especially when you’re shopping online. However, the process can be easily simplified by prioritizing the 4-6 considerations that are most crucial to ensuring that the wheelchair you purchase is suitable for your needs.

The majority of these considerations should be in regard to the sizing of the wheelchair. Of course, color and style is nice and may even be very important to some users (especially if the wheelchair is going to be used long-term), but sizing is vital for ease of use and proper user positioning, which directly affects comfort level, swallowing, breathing and even psychological and social wellbeing.

To get you started, the following dimensions are generally the most important ones for you to check before you make your final purchase.

1. Seat Size

The first and most basic dimension you should consider is the seat width and depth. The seat width usually refers to the space between the armrests as opposed to the width of the actual seat upholstery, and should be approximately 1" – 2" more than the measurement of the user’s hip width. The seat depth should be approximately 1" less than the length of the upper leg. To accurately determine this measurement, the distance from the back of the user’s hip to the back of the knee should be measured while the user is seated.

2. Seat to Floor Height

Another important sizing consideration for user positioning is the seat height. This measurement also affects how easily a patient can get in and out of their chair. The distance between the wheelchair seat and the floor should ideally match the lower leg height, from the back of the knee to the heel. Some wheelchairs are hemi-height adjustable, so you can find the size that works best for you.

3. Overall Width

For many people, the overall width of a wheelchair spells the difference between a usable and unusable chair. This is especially true if the wheelchair will be used indoors, since many doorways are not wide enough to accommodate wide wheelchairs. If this is a concern for you, be sure to check this dimension when you are looking into your options.

4. Armrest Height

To avoid back pain, it is important that the wheelchair does not have armrests that are too low and require the user to hunch forward to rest their elbows. The ideal fit is the distance of the user’s elbow to their seat when the user is seated and their arm is at a 90 degree angle. The correct arm height may be easier to find in a wheelchair that features adjustable armrests.

5. Seat Back Height

For more comfortable seating, have the user sit down and measure the distance from the user’s collarbone or shoulder blade to the seat. The seat back of the wheelchair should reflect that height.

6. Overall Wheelchair Size

If you think you will be storing or transporting the wheelchair a lot and you have limited space, be sure to check the overall measurements, including the length, height, and width while folded. Keep in mind that wheelchair leg rests are almost always extremely easy to remove for storage, which significantly reduced the length of the chair. The overall height matches the handle height, which you may want to check for compatibility with whoever will be navigating the chair.

Hanna Landman lives in NJ with her family. She works at AvaCare Medical, one of the largest online medical supply stores, and enjoys helping seniors and caregivers find the perfect products for their needs.