When our parents are slowly entering old age, how their children choose wheelchairs for their parents has become a pain in the hearts of many people. Because they don’t know how much electric wheelchairs cost and elderly electric scooters, many people are wondering how to choose. Here, Bazhou Junlong Medical Equipment Co., Ltd. will share with you how to choose a good electric wheelchair.
For paralyzed, stroke, amputee and frail elderly people, wheelchairs are like their legs. It is an important tool to help them improve their ability to take care of themselves, get to work, and return to society.
There are many types and styles of wheelchairs on the market. At this time, users may not know what kind of wheelchair is more suitable. Many people even hold almost all wheelchairs and buy one at random. This idea is quite wrong. Because each occupant’s physical condition, use environment and purpose of use are different, wheelchairs with different structures and functions are required. According to research, 80% of patients who use wheelchairs choose the wrong wheelchair or use it improperly.
Generally, passengers use wheelchairs for a long time. An unsuitable wheelchair is not only uncomfortable and unsafe, but also likely to cause secondary injury to the passengers. Therefore, it is very important to choose a suitable wheelchair. But how can we correctly choose a suitable wheelchair?
1. General selection requirements for wheelchairs
Wheelchairs are not only used indoors, but also often used outdoors. For some patients, wheelchairs may become their mobile tool between home and workplace. Therefore, the choice of a wheelchair should meet the needs of the occupant’s condition, and the specifications and dimensions should be adapted to the user’s body to make the ride comfortable and stable;
The wheelchair should also be strong, reliable, and durable. It should be firmly fixed to the ground during transfer to avoid shaking; it is easy to fold and carry; it is labor-saving to drive and consumes less energy.
2. How to choose the type of wheelchair
The wheelchairs we generally see are high-back wheelchairs, ordinary wheelchairs, electric wheelchairs, sports wheelchairs for competitions, and so on. The selection of a wheelchair should take into account the nature and degree of the user’s disability, age, general functional status, and place of use.
3. How to choose the size of the wheelchair
Buying a wheelchair is like buying clothes, and the size should also fit. The proper size can make all parts receive uniform force, which is not only comfortable, but also can prevent the appearance of undesirable consequences. The main suggestions are as follows:
(1) Seat width selection: The patient is sitting in a wheelchair, and there should be a gap of 2.5 cm between both sides of the hip and the inner surface of the wheelchair;
(2) Seat length selection: The patient is sitting in a wheelchair, and the distance between the popliteal fossa (just behind the knee, the depression at the junction of the thigh and the calf) and the front edge of the seat should be 6.5 cm;
(3) Selection of the height of the backrest: Generally, the difference between the upper edge of the backrest and the patient’s armpit is about 10 cm, but it should be determined according to the patient’s trunk function status. The higher the backrest, the more stable the patient is when sitting; the lower the backrest, the easier it is to move the trunk and upper limbs.
(4) The choice of the height of the foot board: the foot board is at least 5 cm from the ground. If it is a footrest that can be adjusted up and down, it is advisable to adjust the footrest until the patient is seated so that the 4 cm at the bottom of the front of the thigh does not touch the seat cushion.
(5) The choice of the height of the armrest: After the patient is seated, the elbow joint should be flexed 90 degrees, and then 2.5 cm upward is appropriate.
