There are a wide range of wheelchairs available today for individuals who have lost their ability to walk without help. Manual wheelchairs have been available for a long time, and recent years have seen the advent of the power chair, or motorized wheelchair. Even though the power chair is a welcome innovation for people with severe disabilities, some individuals may prefer the speed and mobility of a manual chair.
Manual wheelchairs usually weigh from 35 to more than 40 pounds. For people who want to participate in wheelchair sports, or for people who may only use a manual wheelchair occasionally (like when their power chair is being serviced), standard manual wheelchairs are much too heavy to move. Fortunately, lightweight wheelchairs are now available that can be moved more easily. Lightweight wheelchairs make it possible for the user to participate in sports like basketball and tennis, and to propel themselves more easily.
Lightweight wheelchairs are often referred to as K4 wheelchairs, because of the US Medicare reimbursement code (K0004) for manual wheelchairs that weigh 34 pounds or less. Most lightweight folding wheelchairs in this class weigh between 29 and 33 pounds. Most lightweight wheelchairs include features like flip-back arm rests, adjustable back heights, and adjustable seat heights. Most manual wheelchair manufacturers offer lightweight models, including Quickie, Invacare and Pride Mobility. Lightweight wheelchairs can be quite affordable, with low-end, online prices running in the $300 to $400 range.
If you're looking for lightweight wheelchairs in the UK, there are several UK wheelchair manufacturers offering lighter-than-standard models, including Cyclone Mobility, DaVinci and RGK.
There are now several manufacturers specializing in ultra lightweight wheelchairs. Studies have shown that wheelchair users propelling heavier wheelchairs tend to show some upper-body joint deterioration. The introduction of new materials like titanium in wheelchair manufacture has made possible super light wheelchairs. Titanium is half as heavy as steel, but is twice as strong as aluminum. Ultra lightweight wheelchairs made from titanium place less stress on the user's upper body and are much easy to lift and transport.
Ultra lightweight wheelchairs are available in rigid and folding models. New designs have taken into account the difficulty of loading a wheelchair into a vehicle. As a result, super lightweight wheelchairs have more open frames that don't interfere with vehicle interiors. New materials like titanium and lightweight aluminum have made today's more open designs feasible.
Lasher Sport, a mobility products manufacturer based in Alaska, has recently revealed a new lightweight wheelchair made from magnesium. Magnesium is one of the lightest structural metals available today--it's 35 percent lighter than aluminum and 62 percent lighter than titanium, but is just as strong as aluminum. By building a magnesium frame and working to lighten other components as well, Lasher has managed to build a wheelchair with a total weight of only 15.5 pounds.
As you might imagine, super lightweight wheelchairs constructed of new materials like titanium and magnesium don't come cheap. Lasher's ultra lightweight wheelchairs run in the $4,000 to $5,000 range. Prices are high because most ultra lightweight wheelchairs are custom built to fit the user's exact specifications. Chances are that you may have trouble convincing your insurance company that this is what you need. But if you can manage to afford one, the long-term benefits in your performance, function and upper-body health will be priceless.
Today's ultra lightweight wheelchairs are easy on the upper body and improve performance in wheelchair sports