Whether you have been a wheelchair user for decades or if a change in your situation has recently meant that you have had to start using one, there’s no doubt that an electric wheelchair can make a considerable difference to your lifestyle. Admittedly, some individuals will always avoid them in favor of using a traditional device for the purposes of fitness. However, even the most fitness-savvy individuals are starting to appreciate that power wheelchairs do make a huge difference.
Of course, as is the case with any electrical product, technology means that the end consumer is blessed with countless options. If you take a look at the UKS Mobility online store for example, each product contains numerous features that can simply bamboozle the standard buyer. Therefore, the purpose of this guest article is to analyze all of the factors that you should be looking at if you are considering a power wheelchair.
Rear, Front or Centre-Wheel Drive?
This is probably the biggest decision you’ll have to make in relation to your wheelchair. Even though it may not appear to be important, the position of the drive wheels impacts the whole device significantly.
If you opt for a rear-wheel system, you’ll be open to the highest speeds with most travelling up to 6mph. However, there are drawbacks, with the major one being the large turning circle which makes them more difficult to use in small spaces.
Centre-wheel drives on the other hand are much easier to move in smaller spaces due to their improved turning circle. However, they are around half a mile slower than rear-wheel wheelchairs, while they are less versatile and more difficult to manage on varied terrains.
The final option is a front-wheel drive wheelchair. This falls in the middle of the previous two and tends to operate at a similar speed to the center-wheel option. These are ideally used on uneven terrain, meaning they are very suitable for those individuals who live in the countryside.
Seated or Standing?
It’s recently become possible for the wheelchair to be adjusted so the user rises from their normal sitting position all the way to a full stance. This type of wheelchair is more targeted towards those who have very little use of their legs and cannot stand walk without aid.
Standard or Heavy Duty?
There are multiple reasons why one would purchase a heavy duty power wheelchair. Unsurprisingly, the main one is because of their weight, with these versions targeted towards those individuals that are heavier than average. However, they also tend to arrive with an increased battery life, which can prove to be very useful if you are planning to use the wheelchair for a prolonged period of time.
Customized Seating or Normal Seating?
It’s possible to acquire either a standard seat, or one that can be completely customized. It goes without saying that this will affect the cost but if you are opting for the customizable version, you will have access to a range of seating positions such as tilt, recline and elevate.
