Types of Wheel Chairs
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The world of wheel chairs is larger than you think. One of the most common ways people categorize the different kinds is by the type of power they use: there are the manual ones and there are the electric ones. Electric ones are also often simply called “powered”.
There are so many types of wheel chairs that if your budget is large enough you will be able to invest in more than one kind to fulfill more of your needs.
Even if you can buy more than one wheel chair to take care of all your needs you will still want one for general purposes. This one you can use when you attend a wedding or a funeral. You can also use it while you are at work or at school or university. If you spend time on the street then you are likely to want one that suits movement during lunch hours or for other reasons.
There are a few reasons why you will tend to prefer either a manual or electric wheel chair. The primary issue is whether or not you have full use of your arms. If you do then you will still have the option to go for a manual wheel chair. If not, then you don’t.
There are electric wheel chairs which offer thorough support for your neck and back and features enabling you to control the steering with minimal difficulty. For those living with severe muscular dystrophy or who have suffered from severe nerve damage this type of wheel chair will make the most sense.
You may want to look into sports wheel chairs to encourage a lot of physical activity even though you are confined to a wheel chair. To avoid unnecessary muscle atrophy and many other conditions, remaining as active as possible is always top priority for wheel chair users.
Transportation of wheel chairs is also important. Manual wheel chairs aren’t as heavy as the powered ones. This can make a big difference if you need to be able to put them into and out of cars yourself. Even in the best of cases this might prove to be a bit challenging, but its good to know that you can get ones that fold in the middle and that there are ones with axles designed so that the wheels can be tucked out of the way.
The diversity of wheel chairs may seem overwhelming at first, but once you get accustomed to it, you will be relieved to have so many options available. Invacare, Guardian, Top End are examples of major wheel chair brands. Prices for wheel chairs vary, but the best require investments of $20,000 or more for an electric wheel chair.
With medicare willing to subsidize your wheel chair purchase by as much a 80% and insurance willing to pick up the rest, getting into a wheel chair has never been easier.
Nathan Mattel is a consultant primarily working with patients requesting a San Diego wheelchair. With over 15 years of experience in manual and electric wheel chair consulting for the San Diego California disability community, he can help you find the right wheelchair for you or your loved one.
