Manual Wheelchairs

There are a huge number of manual wheelchairs on the market today with many models and makes to choose from. There are two basic models to be aware of these days. Folding frame wheelchairs and rigid frame wheelchairs.

Folding frame wheelchairs - are basically conventional type wheelchairs constructed with an ex-shaped brace which allows the frame to be folded. Having a wheelchair that can be folded and stored away is obviously a plus point, but folding frame wheelchairs can be heavy and difficult to load into vehicles for many users.

Modern versions of the folding frame wheelchair are actually much lighter than the earlier steel wheelchairs. But are still heavier than rigid frame wheelchairs. This is because the folding wheelchair as many more parts and folding foot rests.

One thing to be aware of is that a folding frame wheelchair will need more maintenance as there are more moving parts to maintain. So if you are looking for a low maintenance wheelchair, you should really think about a rigid frame wheelchair.

Rigid frame wheelchairs - on the other hand do not fold in two. They have welded joints and a seatback that folds back for transport. Many wheelchair users find a rigid frame wheelchair much easier to load into a vehicle because they’re much lighter due to the fact that there made from lightweight materials (aluminum or titanium). A lightweight rigid frame wheelchair can actually weigh as little as 10lbs without its wheels. And remember the rigid frame wheelchair will need little maintenance as they have less moving parts to go wrong.