The best guide to wheelchair purchase or hire!

Safety

Any high-quality wheelchair will be tested and CE certified, this means it will pass the minimum requirement for sale within the UK. It will also be rated for a specific weight of the user, this is dependent on the type of frame and wheels used.

A modern high-quality wheelchair is typically made from aluminium with a weight capacity of up to 120kg and comes with air-filled tyres. Every wheelchair will come with brakes for the occupant to use but these are only for locking the wheelchair in place once stopped, this is useful for getting in and out of the chair or if you are stopped on a slope.

With these basic features outlined let's discuss what you should look out for that will make your wheelchair safe in real-world use.

There have been a lot of advancements in the manufacturing of wheelchairs but not every manufacturer has kept up, this guide will help inform you of what to look for when buying or hiring a wheelchair.

1. Tyres

Pneumatic tyres have the benefit of being slightly softer because of being air filled but their main drawback is the fact that they need constant maintenance and pumping, while also being prone to puncture.

Choosing a wheelchair with solid tyres will solve these issues with the only drawback being a very slightly firmer ride, but this will not be noticeable to most people. The safety and comfort of knowing you will not be stuck in case of a flat tyre make this feature a must-have.

Look for wheelchairs with these solid tyres as not many manufacturers provide them because it is slightly more expensive, however, it is worthwhile investing in the overall use of the wheelchair. If hiring a wheelchair it is particularly important because a flat tyre will become a nightmare to fix if you have never experienced it before.

2. Frame

The weight of a wheelchair varies from aluminium lightweight 12kg to 25kg steel version. For most users weighing up to 120kg an aluminium frame will be the perfect choice. The lighter the wheelchair the higher the price but our recommendation is to pick wheelchairs with a total weight of under 15kg as this typically allows for easy transportation and an affordable price.

There are much lower weights of wheelchairs, under 10kg but these are typically for full-time wheelchair users and tend to cost well over £1000.

3. Brakes

Many manufacturers provide only the basic lock brakes, these are sufficient only if the user has stopped and cannot be controlled by the attendant if pushing. This is a big issue if you intend to push the occupant up or down any sort of gradient.

We recommend a wheelchair that comes with attendant brakes, this lets the person pushing also be able to stop the wheelchair using the brakes. This is not a common feature but critical if you want to safely push the occupant.

The typical life of a wheelchair is 3-5 years, depending on use, a high-quality wheelchair should have a life near the top of this range.

Spare parts should also be considered, with the fabric material of the seat and backrest getting the most use these should be easily available and at a reasonable price if you intend to purchase, but it is not uncommon for many manufacturers to price the spare parts at a huge markup which deters many users and it makes more financial sense to purchase a whole new chair.

For example, if you need to replace a wheel you are forced to buy a pair for around £120 from the manufacturer, which is nearly half the price of a new wheelchair. In many cases, it may work out cheaper to hire a wheelchair for long-term use since you will get a working replacement if there are any issues.

You can find all of these features and pricing on LendoCare's wheelchair which is available for hire.

Comfort

Using your wheelchair for a prolonged period of time will mean comfort becomes more and more important. There are a number of things to lookout for when choosing a comfortable wheelchair.

1. Size

Make sure the seat is of the right size for the occupant, this means measuring the width of the wheelchair seat and the width of the users' legs when they are sitting down. Add a few centimeters to each side to ensure there is enough space between the legs and the wheelchair side, this ensure a comfortable seating position.

2. Accessories

Adding accessories to your wheelchair will also help increase its comfort, the most common being a cushion. The seats are usually fabric without any cushioning and are comfortable for short periods of use but a cushion is relatively inexpensive and provides a padded seating solution that makes a noticeable difference.

Another popular accessory is a raised leg foot attachment, this is particularly good for those with a foot injury and requires the foot to be elevated. This can function as both a normal footplate and a raised one.

Most wheelchairs will accept a cushion as long as it fits inside the seat, so make sure to get one correctly sized. The raised leg attachments are not available for all wheelchairs and usually cannot be switched between different manufacturers. Make sure to check which accessories are available for your particular wheelchair.

Ease of use

Using your wheelchair every day will quickly show any quality and usability issues. Most wheelchairs are folding, this is a core feature which allows for the wheelchair to be easily stored out of the way when not in use and also transportable. It is also very common for the handles to fold and for the wheels and footplates to be removable.

Any good wheelchair will also come with a pocket on the back of the backrest. This is something that can be easily overlooked but provides an ideal place to store day-to-day items that cannot be easily stored anywhere else.

These are all very common features and the absolute bare minimum requirements.