Find Wheelchair Rims for your Manual Wheelchair
- In a manual wheelchair, the wheelchair user pushes the wheelchair rims in order to get himself moving. The rims are part of the wheel assembly. When force is supplied to the rim, it rotates an axle which in turn rotates the whole wheel, propelling the wheelchair forward. The size and position of the wheel's rim should be comfortable to the user. Prolonged wheelchair use increases risk of developing upper extremity pain and this situation can be aggravated if rim position puts undue strain on the shoulder.
- Limb size differs greatly across the population. Just like some people are tall and others are short, some people have extremely long arms, others have short arms. Hand size varies too and the size of your hand will influence what size rim should be used with a given size wheel to ensure that you get the most efficiency in your push. The most common diameter of hand is 20 or 21 inches.
- It is easier to propel wheelchairs with bigger rims. A rim with a smaller radius from the axle requires more force to propel the wheelchair and are used in racing wheelchairs.
- In addition to moving it forward, a wheelchair can be stopped or slowed by applying pressure on the wheel rims. Standard rims for hand-powered wheelchairs are made of aluminum with an anodized, gray coating which is smooth enough not to burn your hands from friction as you use them to brake yourself, but not so slick that you can't slow yourself effectively with minimum grip force. If your hands are sweaty or oily you would find it difficult to stop quickly. Other options include plastic, foam, or powder coatings rims. But these are not very durable and need replacement from time to time. Gloves are another alternative to protect your hands when you're moving your chair, and the padding in the palm of the glove can keep your hands from fatiguing as quickly from the constant pressure needed to move the chair.
- To maintain your wheelchair rims properly, it's important to take care of your wheelchair's wheels and tires. Rims get easily damaged if the wheelchair is moved when the tires are deflated. Always make sure that the wheelchair tires are kept at an optimum pressure.
- If you find that using rims to move your wheelchair strains your forearm muscles too much, here’s a tip.
- HOT TIP: You could use the "full-handed" technique. Grab the tire and rim simultaneously as you push; it helps you put more arm strength into the push since you don't need as much grip strength to hold both the tire and rim as you would to grip only the rim. You are also less likely to strain muscles and tendons in the forearm.