Before we list out the general types and functions of the common wheelchairs found in the market, it is important for us to understand why and when a person needs to use a wheelchair?

Given a choice with the ability to move around freely, not many people would choose to sit in a wheelchair to be pushed around or self-pushing it. It is a common stigma and negative thought for most wheelchair users to be perceived as old and frail, handicap, incapable and highly dependence of others. This stigmatisation has, to large extent prevented some people, whom have the real need to use a wheelchair, to simply shun away from using it and this is undesirable.

It is therefore crucial to educate the would-be wheelchair users, together with their caregivers, attendants and the people around, to understand the importance of using the wheelchairs to aid and facilitate mobility. At the same time to be able to select the right wheelchair and understand the correct ways in using it.

Most would-be wheelchair users, most often than not prior to going for a wheelchair, would have tried using other simpler means of mobility assisted devices such as walking sticks, walkers, rollators, clutches etc. They finally resort to using a wheelchair if their conditions worsen and/or their mobility needs still could not be met by the formers.

They are such as elderly with degenerative hips, knees and ankles, anyone with permanent or temporarily disability to walk independently due to inherent medical conditions such as cerebral palsy, those injured during an accident, those with other medical conditions that render them the instability and strength to support themselves when walking independently or amputees. Regardless of reasons, a wheelchair serves as temporary or even permanent solution to aid and enhance the mobility abilities of those needed it.

There are many types of wheelchair available in the market to serve the different users. These are such as:

Self Push (Manual) Wheelchair

A self push wheelchair, as its name denotes is a wheelchair where the user is able to push himself or herself around without the assistance of anyone else. These are wheelchairs with larger rear wheels that come with a hand rim. The user simply hold on and push the hand rim in turn to drive the wheels forward, backward or turning left or right. With the advance battery and motor technology nowadays, many of such self push wheelchairs can be equipped with brushless motors powered by lithium batteries, able to cover distance of more than 20km at speed of about 6-8 km/h with a full charge that lasts 4-8 hrs. This provides the users the ultimate mobility machine that is capable of covering a relatively far distance, at a much shorter timing almost effortless.

Transit Wheelchair

Some key characteristics of transit wheelchair are lightweight, high portability through compact size designing. Due to its compactness, it is design for easy transportation, compromising some comfort to the users especially those of bigger frame and/or need to spend a longer time on them. But its pluses are it can be folded and kept in car boot, brought into aircrafts, trains and vessels with ease due to its light weight, some weighing only 6 kg. Due to its compactness and nimbleness, it can also manoeuvre tight space with ease. One disadvantage of a lightweight transit wheelchair is its inability of self pushing due to their small wheels. This has been overcome by technology advancement such as the introduction of electrical lightweight transit wheelchair.

Sports Wheelchair

Sports wheelchairs are a unique breed. They are designed and often customised to suit different sport activities partake by those physically impaired. Their designs and features are unique to the activities therefore are best used only during such activities and not meant for daily mobility means. These sport activities are such as basketball, baseball, tennis, table tennis, bowling, racing, football and more.

Children (Paediatric) Wheelchair

A children wheelchair is no different to any other manual wheelchair in terms of functionality, except they are usually smaller in dimensions to suit the smaller frame of children. They are usually more colourful and lively in the choice of the seat fabric (sometime even with cartoon imprints) and paintwork on the cross frame. Children with special needs such as those suffering from cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy will have to go for the cerebral palsy wheelchairs come with special functionalities to support the body.

Cerebral Palsy Wheelchair

A wheelchair designed for cerebral palsy/muscular dystrophy patients, often children has many unique designs and features not found in conventional wheelchair. This include but not limited to the tilt-in-space feature that relief pressure on the buttock over prolong sitting; reclined chair that allows the abdomen muscle to be stretched and relaxed; support to head and neck with customised cushion and pillow; elevated leg and calf support, detachable dinning tray and many more.

Electrical Wheelchair

As highlighted earlier, the electrical wheelchair is designed to replace the human effort in moving the wheelchair whether self push or by caregiver. This is akin to the electrical bicycle over conventional leg-powered bicycle. They usually come with batteries operated motors as the drive train to move the wheels, with a controller joystick to guide its direction. With a full charge usually lasted up to 8 hours or less depending on the capacity of the batteries, it can easily travel beyond 16 km. With the invention of lightweight lithium-ion batteries and through ergonomic design, electrical wheelchair nowadays can be lightweight (less than 15 kg) and highly portable as they can be easily collapsed into the size of a carry on luggage bag. It is thus fair to predict that in time to come most of the conventional wheelchairs would likely be replaced by electrical wheelchairs.