Nowadays, there are many types and styles of wheelchairs on the market, and at this time the user may not understand what kind of wheelchair will be more suitable, or even many people hold that almost all are wheelchairs, just buy one, this idea is very wrong. According to a professor of medical authority, each rider’s physical condition, environment, and purpose of use are different, requiring different structures and functions of wheelchairs. According to research, 80% of patients who use wheelchairs nowadays choose the wrong wheelchair or use it improperly.
Wheelchairs are the most common assistive device used in hospitals. Patients with lower limb fractures and frailty need to use wheelchairs temporarily; for paralyzed, stroke, amputees, and frail elderly people, wheelchairs are like their legs, an important tool to help them improve their ability to take care of themselves, go to work, and return to society.
Patients are generally wheelchair users for a long time, and an unsuitable wheelchair is not only uncomfortable and unsafe to ride, but also likely to cause secondary injuries to the rider, so it is important to choose a suitable wheelchair. But how can we properly choose a suitable wheelchair? The professor gives us the following list of things we often need to pay attention to when buying a wheelchair.
The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Wheelchair
一. The general selection requirements of wheelchairs
Wheelchairs are not only used indoors but are often used outdoors as well. For some patients, wheelchairs may become a means of mobility between home and the workplace.
Therefore, the wheelchair should be selected to meet the needs of the rider’s condition, and the specifications should be sized to fit the user’s body so that the ride is comfortable and stable; the wheelchair should also be sturdy, reliable, durable, and firmly fixed to the ground when making transfers to avoid shaking; easy to fold and carry; and drive with less effort and energy consumption.
The price is acceptable to general users and allows users to have a certain degree of autonomy in choosing the appearance (such as color, style, etc.) and function. Easy to buy parts and repair.
二. How to choose the type of wheelchair
The wheelchairs we generally see are high-back wheelchairs, ordinary wheelchairs, nursing wheelchairs, electric wheelchairs, sports wheelchairs for competition, and so on. The choice of the wheelchair should take into account the nature and degree of the patient’s disability, age, general functional status, place of use, etc.
1, High-back wheelchair – commonly used for patients with postural hypotension who cannot maintain a 90-degree sitting posture. After the postural hypotension is relieved, it should be replaced with a normal wheelchair as soon as possible so that the patient can drive the wheelchair by himself.
2, Ordinary wheelchair – patients with normal upper limb function, such as lower limb amputation patients, low paraplegia patients, etc., can choose ordinary wheelchair with pneumatic tires wheelchair.
3, Electric wheelchair – the upper limb hand function is poor, can not drive the ordinary wheelchair, you can choose a wheelchair equipped with friction resistance handwheel or electric wheelchair.
4, Nursing wheelchair – if the patient has poor hand function and is accompanied by mental impairment, a lightweight nursing wheelchair can be used, with the help of others to push.
5, Sports wheelchair – for some young, strong wheelchair users, sports wheelchairs can help them to carry out sports activities and enrich their spare time.
Pls click here to find out more product on my website.
三. How to choose the size of the wheelchair
To buy a wheelchair should be like buying clothes, the size should also fit. The right size can make all parts of the force evenly, not only comfortable but also can prevent the appearance of adverse consequences. The main recommendations are as follows.
1, seat width selection: patients sitting in wheelchairs, there should be a gap of 2.5 cm between the sides of the hips and the two inner surfaces of the wheelchair.
2, seat length selection: patients sitting in wheelchairs, popliteal fossa (directly behind the knee, the depression between the thigh and calf articulation) and the front edge of the seat should be between 6.5 cm.
3, the choice of backrest height: generally choosing the upper edge of the backrest and the patient’s armpit difference of about 10 cm is appropriate but should be based on the functional state of the patient’s trunk. The higher the backrest, the more stable the patient sits; the lower the backrest the more convenient the activities of the trunk and both upper limbs.
4, the choice of the height of the footrest: the footrest is at least 5 cm from the ground. If the footrest can be adjusted up and down, the footrest can be adjusted to the patient after sitting, so that the bottom of the front of the thigh 4 cm does not touch the seat cushion is appropriate.
5, the choice of armrest height: after the patient sits down, the elbow joint is flexed 90 degrees, and then 2.5 cm upwards is appropriate.
As the number of people using wheelchairs in life increases year by year, many people with disabilities and the elderly are also very concerned about the brand and quality of wheelchairs, here are some good brands.
How to Choose Wheelchair Brand
There are many brands in the wheelchair industry market, and the quality of products varies. As the number of people using wheelchairs in their lives increases year by year, many disabled and elderly people are also concerned about the brand and quality of wheelchairs. Consumers always face a selection problem when buying and selling, and do not know what brand to buy. Here through the brand data support provided by the World Brand Research Council, I carefully compiled the wheelchair brands worth buying. At the same time to provide relevant wheelchair shopping skills for your reference, to help you select the wheelchair brand products to your liking.
1, HuBang
A brand in the Chinese wheelchair market, a professional company dedicated to the production of wheelchairs and other rehabilitation equipment, a top ten brand of wheelchairs.
2, Youjie Tech
Famous wheelchair brand in China, mainly exported to Europe and America. Youjie Tech is a company approved by Hebei Provincial Medical Administration to manufacture and sell wheelchairs. It has its own wheelchair factory and workshop. The products have passed several international certifications. It is a professional rehabilitation medical equipment company in China and one of the top ten brands of wheelchairs.
3, KaiYang
Famous trademark of Guangdong Province, a comprehensive enterprise specializing in the production of wheelchairs, an important production base of wheelchairs and medical care equipment in China.
4, MiKi
Founded in 1965 in Japan, specializing in wheelchairs and other rehabilitation equipment, the industry’s leading brands, the top ten brands of wheelchairs.
5, YUYUE
China Famous Trademark, China Famous Brand Product, Jiangsu Province high-tech enterprise, specialized in the medical equipment production enterprise.
6, Invacare
One of the world’s largest manufacturers of home/medical oxygen equipment, a leading brand in the medical device field.
7, Ottobock
Established in 1993 as a wholly German company, top ten brands of wheelchairs, a comprehensive enterprise specializing in the production of wheelchairs.
8, Vermeiren
Established in 1957, Europe’s leading manufacturer of wheelchairs, home medical aids, and hospital beds, an internationally renowned brand.
9, Corfu
Corfu (China) Medical is the largest professional manufacturer of rehabilitation care, medical oxygen supply, and medical clinical series medical equipment in China.
10, Taikang
R&D/manufacturing/sales as a large-scale group of high-tech enterprises, with a modern large-scale R & D production base.
In addition to the brand, it is important to choose the type of wheelchair drive. If finances allow, it is much better to choose an electric wheelchair than a manual wheelchair driven by human power because it has more convenience for the elderly. The fundamental difference from traditional mobility devices such as electric scooters, battery-powered vehicles, and bicycles is that electric wheelchairs have intelligent controls.
Depending on the mode of operation, there are joystick controllers as well as controllers controlled by various switches, such as head or eye systems, the latter being used mainly for severely disabled people with upper and lower extremities.
Nowadays, electric wheelchairs have become an indispensable mobility tool for the elderly and disabled people with limited mobility.
Maintenance and Repair of Electric Wheelchairs
Of course, electric wheelchairs can also have maintenance and repair problems during use. The common failures are battery failure, brake failure, and tire failure.
一. Battery
Electric wheelchairs, as the name implies, the battery is the key to driving the electric wheelchair. High-grade electric wheelchairs are also more expensive in the market, so the maintenance of the battery is quite important in the use of electric wheelchairs. The battery is more prone to problems such as not being charged and not lasting after charging.
First, the battery can not be charged to check whether the charger is normal, and then check the fuse, small problems basically appear in these two places.
Secondly, the battery is not durable after charging, the battery also has loss in normal use, this should be known to all; over time the battery range will slowly become weaker, this is the normal battery loss; if the sudden emergence of the range problem is generally caused by the excessive discharge.
Therefore, during the use of electric wheelchairs, the battery should be maintained diligently.
二. Brake
Among the control parts of the electric wheelchair, the brake is a very important part and is closely related to the personal safety of the user. Therefore, it is important to check whether the brakes are normal before using the electric wheelchair each time.
Frequent problems with the brakes are caused by the clutch and rocker. Before each trip with the electric wheelchair, you should check whether the clutch is in the “gear ON” position, and then check whether the rocker of the controller is back in the middle position.
If not these two reasons should consider whether the clutch or controller is damaged, then we must promptly go to repair, do not use the electric wheelchair when the brake is damaged.
三. Tires
Because the tires are in direct contact with the ground, the road conditions are different, and the loss of tires in the process of use is different. A frequent problem with tires is a puncture. At this time, we must first inflate the tires, the inflation shall refer to the tire pressure suggested on the surface of the tire, and then pinch down the tire when feeling whether it is firm, if it feels soft to the touch or fingers can be pressed in, it may be a leak or inner tube piercing.
Tire maintenance is also very important. There are many people who find that they cannot walk in a straight line after using an electric wheelchair for a period of time. In fact, a large number of reasons appear in the tires, such as tire deformation, air leakage, loosening, etc., or insufficient lubricating oil and rust in the bearing of the wheel connection are all possible reasons why the electric wheelchair cannot walk in a straight line.
Through the above introduction, I believe you have more knowledge about wheelchairs and the wheelchair market, and I hope you can choose a suitable product for our elderly parents and our beloved family members!
Basic General Knowledge and Focus of Wheelchairs
一. Basic general knowledge of wheelchairs:
Wheelchair function: live armrests, live footrests, suitable for paraplegic patients, easy to train and shift; fixed armrests, fixed footrests, can meet the needs of elderly users, seated toilet wheelchair can solve the user in the wheelchair toileting.
Wheelchair structure: High-back wheelchair is suitable for high paraplegic patients, it is one headrest higher than ordinary wheelchairs, and the higher part can be dismantled as needed.
Wheelchair material: There are aluminum wheelchairs and steel wheelchairs.
Wheelchair weight: aluminum wheelchairs are lighter and steel wheelchairs are heavier.
Wheelchair price: aluminum alloy wheelchair is expensive, and outline tube wheelchair is cheaper.
To choose a wheelchair, firstly, choose a wheelchair with different functions according to your needs, and secondly, choose a wheelchair suitable for you according to your height and weight.
二. The core of the purchase of wheelchairs:
Special users shopping for wheelchairs such as only one hand or can only use one hand to drive the wheelchair, to choose a wheelchair with only one hand can drive two-wheel functions at the same time. Otherwise, the purchase of ordinary wheelchairs without caregivers can only turn in place.
The first look at the wheelchair seat and backrest material are strong and durable; the second look at the quality of the wheels and spokes, the flexibility of wheel rotation; the third look at the appearance of the wheelchair process, the appearance of the rough wheelchair process of its internal quality is not too good, the tires to choose durable…
Youjie Tech can only suggest you a few parameters because each patient has different requirements for wheelchairs. As long as you are careful, it is not difficult to buy a wheelchair. The seat width is usually between 46 – 50CM, the front wheels are between 7 – 8 inches, and the rear wheels are between 24 – 26 inches.
三. The purchase of wheelchairs focus on:
1, usually wheelchairs are fixed hands and fixed feet. (whether foldable).
2, safety belt (essential), infusion rack (optional), dining table board (optional), toilet bucket (optional).
3, the pedal is the strip of plastic or aluminum pedal? Are the tires free of inflation?
4, How about the locking device, the brake device (front and rear brakes)? Is there an anti-reverse device?
5, Is the backrest adjustable (adjustable height and angle)?
6, another armrest comfort, back cushion, cushion, etc., depends on the patient’s own preferences.
Selection of Wheelchair Models
Generally speaking as an alternative to using the object to choose a folding light wheelchair. It can fit in the trunk of a car, can be easily carried upstairs, and takes up less space when not in use.
Wheelchair vehicles can be divided into four categories in terms of structure and function: first, soft seat cushions; second, hard seat cushions; third, high-back wheelchairs; fourth, wheelchairs with some special features.
- For example: with movable small dining table, with toilet, can be flattened as a simple bed and so on. Wheelchairs are designed with a variety of functions, but these functions cannot be reflected in the same wheelchair at the same time, so users have to choose according to their needs.
- For example: paraplegics spend a long time in wheelchairs every day, wheelchairs are not only a means of transportation for these people but also a place to live during the day, they need to eat, drink, learn and urinate and defecate in the wheelchair, so when buying a wheelchair, choose one with a movable dining table, a wheelchair with a high backrest that can lie down, and a wheelchair with a movable commode is even more suitable.
Special users shopping for wheelchairs such as only one hand or can only use one hand to drive the wheelchair, to choose a wheelchair with only one hand can drive two-wheel functions at the same time. Otherwise, you can only spin in place when you buy an ordinary wheelchair without a caregiver.
The specific purchase of wheelchairs to see more questions, a look at the wheelchair seat and backrest material are strong and durable; two looks at the quality of the wheels and spokes, the flexibility of wheel rotation; three looks at the appearance of the wheelchair process, the appearance of the wheelchair with a rough process of its internal quality will not be too good, the tires to choose durable and good quality, to have a manual and warranty.
The above is a selection of wheelchair varieties, specific purchase of wheelchairs should be the same as the purchase of other goods to choose well-known manufacturers and well-known brands to buy, such as China’s well-known wheelchair brand, Youjie Tech Medical has a good after-sales service so that consumers do not have to worry about.
Wheelchair Buying Tips and Types of Wheelchairs
一. How to determine the size of wheelchair:
Sitting width: after sitting in the wheelchair, there is a gap of 5 cm between the body and the side panel of the wheelchair on the left and right.
Sitting depth: after sitting in the wheelchair, the outer end of the wheelchair seat is 5 cm away from the popliteal fossa.
Sitting height: after sitting in the wheelchair, the armrest is flush with the waist.
Armrest height and length: both forearms can be placed on the armrest naturally.
Backrest height and slope: the highest part of the backrest is 10 cm away from the shoulder.
二. Types of wheelchairs:
1, Electric wheelchair: there are different sizes available for adults or children respectively. Its weight is about double that of a standard wheelchair. To meet the needs of people with different degrees of illness and disability.
Electric wheelchairs have a variety of different control methods, hand or forearm function has part of the residual, you can choose the hand or forearm to operate the electric wheelchair. The electric button or rocker of this wheelchair is very sensitive and can be operated with a slight contact of the fingers or forearm. The speed of the vehicle is close to the walking speed of a normal person and can climb a slope of 6 to 8.
For patients with complete loss of hand and forearm function, electric wheelchairs with jaw manipulation are available. Nowadays, there are electric wheelchairs controlled by breathing and eyes, which further expand the application of wheelchairs and enable many patients with high cervical spine injuries who did not dare to envisage the possibility of getting rid of their lifelong bed-ridden condition to achieve a certain degree of freedom of movement.
2, Other special wheelchairs: for the specific needs of patients with certain disabilities, there are a variety of special wheelchairs. (1) unilateral passive wheelchair; (2) special wheelchair for toilet; (3) some wheelchairs with lifting devices.
3, Folding wheelchair: the frame, etc. can be folded for easy carrying and transportation. This is currently the most widely used one. Depending on the width of the chair and the height of the wheelchair, it can be used by adults, teenagers, and children, and some wheelchairs can be replaced with larger backs and backrests to accommodate the growing needs of children. Folding wheelchairs have removable armrests or footrests.
4, Reclining wheelchair: the backrest can be tilted backward from vertical to a horizontal position. The footrest can also be freely changed in angle.
5, Sports wheelchair: a special wheelchair designed for competition. Lightweight and can run faster in outdoor applications. In order to reduce weight, in addition to the use of high-strength lightweight materials (such as aluminum), some sports wheelchairs can not only remove the armrests and footrests but also remove the handle part of the backrest.
6, Hand-push wheelchair: this is a wheelchair that is pushed by others. This kind of wheelchair can be used before and after the same diameter of small wheels to reduce the cost and weight, its armrests can be fixed, open or folding type, push wheelchair is mainly used as a nursing chair.
The above are the wheelchair purchase tips and wheelchair types, the specific purchase of wheelchairs to meet their own needs so that consumers select the most suitable for their own products.
How to Buy Electric Wheelchair
To buy a satisfactory electric wheelchair, we must first clarify the structural composition of the electric wheelchair, that is, the five major parts of the electric wheelchair (controller, motor, battery, electromagnetic brake, and frame) The following we explain in detail according to these five major parts.
1, Controller: The controller is the heart of the electric wheelchair, which allows users to steadily and at will manipulate the wheelchair in any direction (360 degrees) through the control panel and joystick, allowing users to truly feel the power of perfect control through their fingers.
2, Motor(including gearbox): electric wheelchair motors are divided into two categories: brush motors and brushless motors. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, brush motors require regular replacement of carbon brushes, but driving inertia is very small; brushless motors do not require maintenance, but the speed has very slight inertia. The quality of the motor depends on the magnetic cylinder material and coil material. So the price difference exists.
When choosing an electric wheelchair, you can observe and compare the workmanship, power, noise, and other factors of the motor. The gearbox is matched with the motor, and the gearbox is good or bad depending on the metal material and sealing performance. Because there are gears in the gearbox bite friction with each other, so it needs lubricating oil, so the sealing of the oil seal and seal ring is crucial.
3, Battery: The battery is divided into lithium batteries and lead-acid batteries, lithium batteries are small, lightweight, have more cycle charge and discharge times, longer service life, but more expensive; lead-acid batteries are affordable, but the volume and weight are large, and the cycle charge and discharge times are only about 300-500 times. Lithium battery electric wheelchair weight is lighter such as Youjie Tech electric wheelchair, mobility scooter, and other well-known brands are using lithium batteries as a power source. The whole vehicle weight is light and easy to fold, home travel can be.
4, Electromagnetic brake: It is essential for the safety of an electric wheelchair. Many electric wheelchairs on the market will remove the electromagnetic brake function in order to reduce costs, while the matching motor gearbox and other components that must be available to reduce the configuration accordingly. Such electric wheelchairs are okay to drive on flat roads, but they will slip when driving on uphill or downhill sections. To determine whether an electric wheelchair has an automatic braking function is actually very simple, the purchase of an electric wheelchair power off, push forward, if you can slowly push the electric wheelchair is not equipped with electromagnetic brakes, and vice versa.
5, Electric wheelchair frame: the difference between the frame is the material and the rationality of the structural design. Frame material is mainly divided into iron, steel, aluminum alloy, and aerospace aluminum alloy (7 series aluminum alloy); aluminum alloy and aerospace aluminum alloy material frame lighter weight, good compactness, relative to other materials frame production process and different equipment, higher cost prices. The reasonable form of electric wheelchair frame structure design is most easily ignored by the majority of consumers. The same material wheelchair frame, the structure design is different, the ride comfort is very different, the wheelchair lift is also very different.
The above describes the structural composition of electric wheelchairs, the specific purchase of wheelchairs to select the most suitable for their own products, Yooujie Tech professional engineers to help you collate several core components of electric wheelchairs and the difference between the different components, I hope it will help you to buy and use electric wheelchairs.
