Tips on How to Choose the Right Wheelchair for Your Needs

If you are not sure about how to choose the right wheelchair, they key to finding the right one depends on your specific needs or that of your loved one. Today, there are many wheelchair brands that it has become almost impossible to know which the right one is. So many people are in a dilemma since the essence of having a wheelchair is to ensure that a person suffering from paralysis enjoys an active lifestyle. Since such people have their mobility affected by paralysis, getting the right wheelchair becomes their top priority. Even though t can be argued that the availability of different performance wheelchairs is a good thing, it is this aspect that has caused a major dilemma among wheelchair buyers. These performance wheelchairs are different in terms of brands, design, comfort and other customizable features. The availability of too many points of comparison has many people confused about what to look for in the best performance wheelchairs. Instead of focusing too much on what features the wheelchair has, the key consideration should be the patient needs and whether the wheelchair can satisfy such needs. Ask yourself whether how the wheelchair will be used. This will help you narrow down on the most important factors to consider when making your purchase. Will the wheelchair be used indoors or outdoors? What is the kind of terrain that the wheelchair will mostly be and how often will it be used. Once you have answered the above questions, here are some factors to consider when choosing the best wheelchair.

Manual or Electric Wheelchair
When choosing the right wheelchair, this is probably the most noticeable distinction among different wheelchair brands. You should ask yourself whether you are more comfortable on a manual wheelchair or would rather purchase one of the high performance wheelchairs that are powered by electric power. This is the best way to make your choice. Think about your mobility before rushing into making the purchase. If you have very little mobility, then a high performance wheelchair makes more sense compared to a manual one. High performance wheelchairs will enable you move around with little or no assistance as long as you are able to navigate your way around effectively. The downside of high performance wheelchairs powered by electricity is that they are expensive and sometime will stretch your finances if you make the ultimate sacrifice to have one. Manual wheelchairs on the other hand are folding wheelchairs where the patient can still move around with little assistance except in uneven terrain. A folding wheelchair too means that it can easily fit into a vehicle with minimum effort. In terms of affordability, a manual wheelchair will be fairly priced compared to the high performance wheelchairs that use electric power. The main difference is that high performance wheelchairs that use electricity have additional capabilities that manual wheelchairs lack.

The Size and Dimensions of the Wheelchair
As stated earlier, you need to consider the size and dimension of the wheelchair and ensure that the person using it will be comfortable. You can imagine sitting the whole day on an undersized wheelchair. The ordeal can only add to your current predicament and aggravate the situation. It would be a bad idea buying a wheelchair that is of the wrong size only to establish that out after you get home. You will spend more time trying to return it to the supplier further inconveniencing yourself and the user. There is every reason to believe that the size and dimension as factors size of the patient is a physical attribute. Once you have considered these factors, choosing the right wheelchair becomes much easier as long as you order from a genuine seller. It is always a bad idea to spend too much if you are on a wheelchair on short term basis. If you are, just make sure that you are not stuck with an investment that you cannot use after you get better. By following the above guide, you are guaranteed of making the right choice when you are in the market for a good wheelchair for yourself or your loved one.