wheelchair
-
What is a wheelchair?
A wheelchair is a wheeled seating device that enables movement from place to place. Wheelchairs range from bulky, manually powered models to high-tech electric-powered versions.
Modern wheelchairs usually have two large rear wheels for self-propulsion and two small front wheels called casters for maneuverability. Manual wheelchairs are powered by the user or an assistant, while electric wheelchairs use a battery and motor.
Wheelchairs are categorized by style, material, and weight, with three weight categories: standard, lightweight, and ultralight. The cross-frame design, introduced in 1932, allows the chair to be folded.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Who uses a wheelchair and why?
Wheelchairs are used by individuals with mobility impairments due to a variety of reasons, including spinal cord injuries, stroke, or other conditions that affect strength and endurance.
Manual wheelchairs are often used by those who have the upper body strength to propel themselves, while electric wheelchairs are suitable for those with limited upper body strength. Wheelchairs can be divided into standard, lightweight, and ultralight categories, depending on their weight and adjustability. The folding wheelchair, which was invented in the 20th century, allowed disabled individuals to use their wheelchairs outside of their homes or care facilities.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What are the main parts of a wheelchair?
A wheelchair is a seating surface with wheels that helps a person move around. Manual wheelchairs have a frame, tires, wheels, axles, casters, leg rests, and armrests.
The frame is the base of a manual wheelchair that most influences performance. Wheels are typically spoked or molded, and range from 12 to 26 inches in diameter. Solid rubber or pneumatic tires are available. Armrests can be fixed or adjustable to help the user shift weight or provide support.
Modern wheelchairs are made of steel, aluminum, or titanium.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How do manual and electric wheelchairs differ?
Manual and electric wheelchairs differ mainly in how they are propelled. Manual wheelchairs need human power, either by the user or an assistant, while electric wheelchairs use an electric power source like motors and batteries.
Manual wheelchairs are propelled by the user's arms and/or legs, or by someone else pushing the chair. Electric wheelchairs use a joystick or other control, and can have features like power tilt, recline, and programmable settings.
3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What features make a wheelchair easier to use and more comfortable?
For easier use and greater comfort, wheelchairs have benefited from design improvements in the 20th and 21st centuries. These include folding models for use outside the home, and lighter materials like aluminum and titanium. The placement of the rear wheel on the frame can be adjusted horizontally to reduce strain during self-propulsion.
Electric wheelchairs have also undergone advancements. The advent of the power base, which sits beneath the seat and contains the motor and batteries, allowed for significant mechanical advancements in electric wheelchairs. Users can control these wheelchairs through a joystick or with head or tongue movements.
Additional features such as adjustable-height armrests for support and assistance with weight shifting, and elevating leg rests for physiological needs, also enhance comfort.
3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How do wheelchairs help people participate in daily life and activities?
Wheelchairs enhance daily life and activity participation for individuals with mobility impairments through increased maneuverability, comfort, and dependability. A key advance was the folding wheelchair, which allowed users to leave their homes. Modern wheelchairs have evolved to include lightweight, adjustable models for improved performance and reduced strain. Electric wheelchairs offer further ease of movement, with advanced designs improving ergonomics. These advancements enable users to engage more fully in social activities.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
News •
wheelchair, any seating surface (e.g., a chair) that has wheels affixed to it in order to help an individual move from one place to another. Wheelchairs range from large, bulky, manually powered models to high-tech electric-powered models that can climb stairs. The modern standard wheelchair design is based on the so-called cross-frame design that was introduced in 1932 by disabled American mining engineer Herbert A. Everest and American mechanical engineer Harry C. Jennings. Together, Everest and Jennings patented the cross-frame wheelchair, which uses a cross brace to attach the two sides of the chair, allowing it to be folded when not in use. They later formed Everest & Jennings, Inc., which subsequently became one of the world’s major wheelchair manufacturers.
Basic features
Typically, a wheelchair consists of four wheels: two large wheels in the rear, which are used for propelling the wheelchair, and two small wheels in the front, which swivel and are called casters. The large wheels support the majority of the individual’s weight and provide the primary means of propulsion. The casters facilitate maneuverability. Traditionally, wheelchairs are divided into two categories: manual and electric-powered. Those categories are defined by the mechanism used to propel the wheelchair. A manual wheelchair is propelled by human power, and an electric-powered wheelchair is propelled by an electrically based power source (typically a battery and electrical motor).
A manual wheelchair is powered either by the individual using the wheelchair or by an assistant. The most commonly recognized manual wheelchairs are seen at hospitals and nursing homes. Individuals who have the strength and endurance to independently propel the wheelchair typically use manual wheelchairs. They can propel the wheelchair in different ways. For instance, individuals with a spinal cord injury can use their upper extremities. Individuals who have had a stroke that affects only one side of the body can use one upper extremity and one lower extremity. Individuals who have neither the strength to walk without a walker or cane nor the endurance to walk with one can use their lower extremities. An assistant or attendant propels the manual wheelchair when individuals cannot do it themselves.
" height="20" alt="HEW Logo">
Style, material, and weight
Manual wheelchairs can be divided into numerous categories based on their intended use and design. The most basic characteristic that distinguishes manual wheelchairs is the frame design, but wheelchairs are also categorized by style, material, and weight.
Style
A standard folding wheelchair has a cross-brace design (X-frame), which allows the wheelchair to fold laterally via a scissor-like action. These wheelchairs are very popular because they can be easily folded for transportation. The limitation to folding-frame wheelchairs is that they tend to be heavy and have reduced performance characteristics compared with a rigid-frame manual wheelchair. A rigid frame does not incorporate a folding mechanism into the design, thereby significantly improving aesthetics, performance, strength, and weight.
Material
Another feature that distinguishes wheelchairs is the type of material used. Initially, manufacturers used steel in all manual wheelchairs (primarily mild steel) because of its low cost and ease of machinability. Later there were numerous advances in the materials used to manufacture wheelchairs. Most modern wheelchairs are made using primarily steel, aluminum, and titanium. Steel is limited to standard wheelchairs that have folding-frame mechanisms. Aluminum is used throughout the wheelchair industry, primarily in ultralight wheelchairs and some lightweight wheelchairs. Aluminum has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than mild steel, thereby reducing the overall weight of the wheelchair, and it has the added advantage of being resistant to corrosion. Titanium has been used in ultralight manual wheelchairs, further reducing the weight because of its high strength-to-weight ratio. Titanium also is resistant to corrosion. The key limitations of titanium are its relatively high material costs compared with steel and aluminum and the greater difficulty in machining or welding titanium.
Weight
In general, there are three wheelchair weight categories: standard, lightweight, and ultralight.
The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.
SUBSCRIBE
Standard wheelchairs are typically folding-frame wheelchairs that are manufactured using mild steel. They are the heaviest of manual wheelchairs, usually weighing more than 18 kg (39.6 pounds) with limited adjustability in components. These wheelchairs are designed most often for temporary use and are usually found in medical facilities (e.g., hospitals and nursing homes).
Lightweight wheelchairs also are typically folding-frame wheelchairs. They have many adjustable components and are available with many features. They tend to be lighter than standard wheelchairs (typically between 13 and 18 kg [28.6 and 39.6 pounds]) because they are usually manufactured using aluminum.
Ultralight wheelchairs have the best performance characteristics of the three weight categories. As the name suggests, these are the lightest-weight wheelchairs (typically less than 13 kg [28.6 pounds]), because they are manufactured using aluminum, high-performance steel, or titanium. However, the key difference between lightweight and ultralight wheelchairs, besides weight, is an adjustable rear-wheel axle. A horizontally adjustable rear wheel (i.e., one that can be moved forward or backward) allows for the optimal placement of the rear wheel on the frame. This makes it easier for the individual to reach the rear wheels during propulsion, reducing stress and strain on the upper extremities.