Wheelchair: Transporting Physically Disabled Persons

By A. M. Kelly

A wheeled mobility device that transports the user through manual or automatic propulsion is called a wheelchair. The function of the wheelchair is to help people that have difficulty in walking for reasons such as illness, injury or other disability, to transport them. The first recorded instance of the wheelchair took place in England in the 1670s and, it became known to Europeans during the German Renaissance.

Basic Standards Form The Basis Of All Other Variations

The basic and standard wheelchair has a seat as well as a back and two small front wheels and, two large wheels as well as a footrest. This basic design has many variations and they may be customized to suit individual preferences and needs. One can also add accessories to the device and, there are many to choose from such as the anti-tip bar or wheels, safety belts, adjustable backrests and, much more. In addition, there have also been many experiments made with the type of wheels to be used including the omniwheel and the mecanum wheel that provide directional options.

There are manual as well as power wheelchairs and, the manual has three different types – self-propelled, attendant-propelled as well as wheelbase. In addition, the manual version is easily stored or placed in any vehicle. The power version also comes in three models which are rear, center as well as four wheel front driven and front driven. Each has its own characteristics and, the power driven wheelchair also can be categorized according to seat type.

For disabled sportspersons, there are the streamlined sport wheelchairs that require having speed as well as agility such as are used for basketball, rugby, and tennis and also racing. They may not be foldable as they require strength in frame and, may often have pronounced angle for the wheels and, be manufactured using composite and lightweight materials.

Of late, there have been technological advances in the wheelchair of today and, gyroscopic technology enables the device to be better balanced as well as run on only two wheels, depending on the surface and, it can raise the user to a near-standing position. However, most advances tend to be in the cushion materials that are used and, in this regard; one can mention memory foam as well as gel. There are also suspension-based chairs. Also, the wheelchair needs to be able to provide functionality in buildings comprising of many floors that require climbing up stairs. However, to facilitate use of wheelchairs in all environments, there is plenty of innovation being incorporated and, buildings may now have elevators as well constructing low floor trams and buses to make it easy on people with such disabilities.

Author Details:
A. M. Kelly writes for various web sites including The A-Z of Wheelchairs and other information portals such as information junkie and the A-Z of.com

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