Body Protection for Your Wheelchair

If you use a manual wheelchair, then you likely will get a very good upper body workout. Manual wheelchairs usually have two rear wheels that are at least 20 inches in diameter. The two front wheels are much smaller and often they have a foot rest as well. The rear wheels are typically used by the owner of the chair to move the device. The rear wheels have easy to grab handles that allow the user to spin them in either direction.

These types of wheelchairs do require a lot of effort to get around and usually those who use them have very developed upper body muscles. It can be a good idea to invest in some protection for your exposed body parts though because often dirt and mud can be slung onto your clothes. Sleeveguards are one type of arm protection that is used by many people. They slide on easily over the sleeves of your shirt of jacket and keeps it clear of debris. Weather chaps are another type of protection that is aimed at keeping your legs clean and warm. Weather chaps are fleece lined on the inside and use water resistant plastic or nylon on the outside. The fleece lining can be removed as well, so they can still be used in the summer time.

Typically if you use an electric power wheelchair, then you will not need the sleeveguards. This is because the smaller wheels on electric wheelchairs do not kick up as much dirt and because a remote control joystick is used to control the chair; your arm will not be as exposed to the elements. The weather chaps though are still great for keeping your pants and legs clean and warm.

There are many advantages of using a manual wheelchair and for many they provide a great way to burn calories, energy, and stay in shape. Others prefer the electric power wheelchair, which have tremendous ranges, are easy to use, and extremely maneuverable.

Foldable Power Chairs: Functionality and Portability

The history of the wheelchair is a long one and it dates back almost to the beginning of man kind. People have been using personal carrying devices in some shape or form for many hundreds of years. The steel framed tubular wheelchair didn’t come into existence until the early 1920’s and since then it has been greatly improved upon in many areas.

The first power wheelchair was developed in the 1950’s and it is also something that has been greatly improved upon over the years. Most power chairs though are fairly large and require some sort of wheelchair carrier to transport in vehicles. A foldable power chair is one alternative if you need to travel and do not have a vehicle wheelchair lift or if space is at a premium.

Foldable power chairs look very similar to a traditional manual wheelchair. Their wheels are much smaller though, because they are not intended to be moved by hand. A foldable power chair takes up only minimal space and so it can easily be placed in almost any vehicle. Even being compact and light weight they are still very powerful. For instance Golden makes a foldable power chair that can support up to 250 pounds. It travels at speeds of 3.7 miles per hour and has a range of up to 20 miles per charge. It also is very maneuverable and has a turning radius of 27.5.”

A foldable power chair can be a great way to easily retain mobility in any area.

A History of Wheelchairs

Electric power wheelchairs are devices that are used by many people who can not walk. People have been using wheelchairs have been using wheelchairs in some form or shape for 1000’s of years, and probably since the beginning of time.

The first known documentation of a wheelchair was in the 6^th century. A picture was found carved into a stone found in a Chinese sarcophagus. Later in the 16^th and 17^th centuries, there were several documented uses of rolling chairs that were used by nobles in Spain and Europe. These types of chairs did not really resemble the modern wheelchair and were frequently very elaborate.

In the 18^th century a wheelchair with two large front wheels and a single caster in the rear was developed. This design was adapted and changed, but remained the standard for some time. After the Civil War and World War I, many wheelchairs were developed for disabled soldiers. These chairs used a wooden frame and allowed for the adjustment of the armrests and footrests. They used wicker seats and large front wheels. This design was patented in 1894.

The first wheelchair that utilized a bent metal tubing design was developed in 1932. It was foldable and a joint project developed by Herbert Everest and Harold Jennings. This design proved to be very popular and is the basis for the modern wheelchair.

It was not until the 1950’s that the first electric wheelchair was designed and in the 1960’s the first mobility scooter was designed. Since the development of the first electric mobility devices, the technology behind them has been vastly improved. This improvement is of course not limited to electric mobility devices. The modern manual wheelchair is also much more efficient and lighter than its predecessors.

What is a Mobility Scooter

Mobility scooters are similar to wheelchairs in the service that they provide. Mobility scooters are personal movement devices that carry a seated individual. They allow you to go places, like shopping or the park, you might have otherwise been unable to do independently.

Mobility scooters feature a chair and a tiller. The tiller consists of a set of handle bars and several different controls. It can be adjusted to a position that is closer or farther from the seat, which makes it able to accommodate people of all sizes. Modern mobility scooters utilize rechargeable electric batteries, but you still occasionally run across a gasoline powered mobility scooter. Gasoline powered mobility scooters can be very dangerous because they get very hot, emit noxious fumes, and are at much greater risk of fire and explosion. You should always purchase a battery powered mobility scooter.

Almost all mobility scooters utilize keyed access. This ensures that your scooter is not used without your permission. They also frequently feature headlights, taillights, and turn indicators, which greatly improve the safety of the device and allow it to be used at night. Many also feature seatbelts, which for added safety should be worn if included. The speed of the mobility scooter can be controlled easily and some have a top speed of over 10 miles per hour, but you do not have to drive it this fast and doing so can reduce the charge of the battery dramatically.

The seat of a mobility scooter can be adjusted in many ways. They typically can be raised up and down, and frequently swivel to the left and right. The swivel feature makes it much easier to enter and exit the device. The arm rests are also frequently adjustable. The width of some can even be adjusted and many can be flipped up.

Those that have difficulty walking or freely moving will greatly benefit from a mobility scooter. They can be used indoors and out and models made by reputable manufacturers, like Golden and Pride, will provide years of trouble free service.