A proper wheelchair is very important, as it will help you to do all the activities you decide to do. It needs to fit your body, your abilities and your lifestyle Once you have procured the right wheelchair, keeping it well maintained is equally important
Manual Wheelchair:
Large rear wheel / small front caster.
Propulsion by concentric hand-rims attached to rear wheels Good upper body strength is a must. These chairs may or may not be folding. May be attendant or self propelled
Powered wheelchair:
For patients with inadequate muscle function, or those with insufficient pulmonary or cardiac reserves. Control systems can vary depending upon the user's residual function e.g. chin control. tongue control, puff and sip control, sonic control, light control etc These are very expensive and not available in India.
Before deciding the wheelchair you plan to purchase you need to know your energy level and abilities based on your level of your injury and the level of your independence, daily activities you can do for yourself. Other points to consider are:
whether the wheelchair is for indoor/ outdoor use or both?
Your ability to transfer and the amount of assistance required for getting in or out of the chair.
What features will make the wheelchair more comfortable
What type of transport do you use or plan to use to get about
It is important to keep your wheelchair in the best condition so as to avoid an accident or inconvenience at the wrong time. Oiling is important for easy maneuvering. Folding and detachable parts if not oiled can give a problem when you are all dressed to go out. Try and stick to a fortnightly oiling schedule. A detailed maintenance chart is given below.
Wheelchair Part
Maintenance Required
Casters
Oiling fortnightly and replacement when required
Brakes
Tightening once a month
Rear Wheels
Change when required. Pneumatic tyres will require
air filling fortnightly and puncture repair when required
Seat cover and back cover
Regular washing and changing when they begin
to tear from the sides
Arm rests
Oiling of locking pin fortnightly. Keep checking
the springs of the locking pins
Foot rests
Oiling of detachable parts fortnightly
Hand rims
Tighten the screws of the propelling knobs once
a Month
Axle
Oiling fortnightly and replacement of ball bearings once
a ear
Minor maintenance jobs like oiling, and tightening of different parts can be done by someone in your family or friend. Otherwise you can make use of a local cycle repair person. This person would have to be guided the first few times. He will also be able to take care of replacing the ball bearing. For any replacement like the castors, wheelchair seat and back, tyres, you will have to get in touch with the manufactures.
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