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Manual and electronic wheel chairs |
| Manual and electronic wheel chairs |
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A wheelchair is
a chair with wheels, designed to be a
replacement for walking. The device comes in
variations where it is propelled by motors
or by the seated occupant turning the rear
wheels by hand. Often there are handles
behind the seat for someone else to do the
pushing.
Wheelchairs are used by people for whom
walking is difficult or impossible due to
illness |
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Manual
Wheelchair
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- Manual
wheelchairs are those that require human
power to move them. Many manual
wheelchairs can be folded for storage or
placement into a vehicle, although
modern wheelchairs are just as likely to
be rigid framed.
- Manual
or self-propelled wheelchairs are
propelled by the occupant
- The user
moves the chair by pushing on the
handrims, which are made of circular
tubing attached to the outside of the
large wheels
- The
handrims have a diameter that is
slightly less than that of the rear
wheels
- Skilled
users can control speed and turning and
often learn to balance the chair on its
rear wheels — do a "wheelie".
- The
wheelie is not just for show — a rider
who can control the chair in this manner
can climb and descend curbs and move
over small obstacles.
- Foot
propulsion of the wheelchair by the
occupant is also common for patients who
have limited hand movement capabilities
or simply do not wish to use their hands
for propulsion.
- Foot
propulsion also allows patients to
exercise their legs to increase blood
flow and limit further disability.
- One-arm
drive enables a user to guide and propel
a wheelchair from one side. Two
handrims, one smaller than the other,
are located on one side of the chair,
left or right. On most models the outer,
or smaller rim, is connected to the
opposite wheel by a folding axle.
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When both
handrims are grasped together, the chair may
be propelled forward or backward in a
straight line. |
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Electronic
Wheelchair
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An
electric-powered wheelchair is a
wheelchair that is moved via the means
of an electric motor and navigational
controls, usually a small joystick
mounted on the armrest, rather than
manual power.
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For users
who cannot manage a manual joystick,
headswitches, chin-operated joysticks,
sip-and-puff or other specialist
controls may allow independent operation
of the wheelchair.
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A
Power-Assisted wheelchair is a recent
development that uses the frame &
seating of a typical manual chair while
replacing the standard rear wheels with
wheels that have small battery-powered
motors in the hubs.
A floating rim design senses the
pressure applied by the users push &
activates the motors proportionately.
This results in the convenience, small
size & light-weight of a manual chair
while providing motorised assistance for
rough/uneven terrain & steep slopes that
would otherwise be difficult or
impossible to navigate, especially by
those with limited upper-body function.
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