subject: New Designs Offer Excellent Manual Wheelchair Alternative [print this page] Design improvements in recent decades have created a new manual wheelchair alternative. So-called "modern" wheelchairs are based almost entirely on a design that dates back to the early 1930s. Other than updates to materials, the standard wheelchair would still be recognizable to doctors and nurses from the era of the Great Depression. One might be tempted to ask, if the design works so well, why fix it?
The fact is, standard wheelchairs, while much better than what was available previously, leave a great deal to be desired. The low slung seats force the occupant to be well below the eye level of the unimpaired, making interaction more difficult. The fixed side armrests cannot be retracted, which makes dining in restaurants or at a dining room table a hassle. The user or attendant must remember to set the hand brake. Additionally, many patients who are prescribed wheelchairs suffer from conditions which would be exacerbated by using a self-propelled chair, and powered chairs are expensive to begin with and require expensive, ongoing maintenance. For caregivers, the standard wheelchair requires that the user be lifted from the chair in order to be moved to a hospital bed or exam table.
So why has the standard wheelchair design remained unchanged for so long? Honestly, there is no good reason, other than inertia. The product in service worked well enough. Fortunately, a team of mechanical engineers and healthcare professionals, working together, have evaluated the shortcomings of the standard wheelchair and developed a better manual wheelchair alternative.
Based on sound ergonomic principles, transport chairs such as stackable transport chairs place the occupant in a more upright, higher position. The chair's seat is designed to better match the curvature of the user's spine, rather than requiring the user to accommodate themselves to the shape of the seat. A non-folding, steel frame allows for greater weight capacity, with standard chairs starting at 450 pounds, and higher-capacity bariatric chairs available with up to 1,000 pound limits.
Further, armrests which are not integral to the chair's structure may be folded upwards. This allows the occupant to be seated at a table to enjoy a meal with friends and family. Folding armrests also allow for no-lift, side transfer from chair to bed or exam table, reducing the possibility of strain and stress injuries to the attendant.
As an additional feature, these stackable transport chairs feature an automatic braking system. When the attendant takes his or her hands off of the push bar, the chair automatically stops. This removes the necessity to remember to set a manual brake, helping to prevent runaways and other unfortunate accidents.
Years of experience and research have gone into developing these new designs for manual wheelchair alternatives. Easy to use and less expensive to own, improved technology can be a benefit for institutional users such as hospitals and airports, as well as shopping malls, elder care facilities, concert halls, museums and other public venues. With the aging of the population and increased issues of access and mobility, providing well-designed, modern manual wheelchair alternatives is an imperative.
