Your Questions Answered

A self-propelled wheelchair is designed with larger wheels at the back of the chair.  There is push-rims which allow the occupant to easily manoeuvre themselves along using their upper body strength.  Self-propelled wheelchairs are primarily designed to allow the occupant to propel themselves along with-out the need of someone pushing the chair.

When needed, the wheelchair can be pushed by someone, as these chairs normally have pushing handles on the back as well.  The larger wheels on the back can also be an advantage when overcoming kerbs or other obstacles.

An attendant propelled wheelchair is sometimes known as a transit wheelchair. If you intend to rely on someone pushing you in your chair, or if you are not strong enough to propel yourself, you would need to purchase an attendant propelled or transit wheelchair.

They have smaller rear wheels and can be easier to manoeuvre for the person pushing.  The occupant has no ability to manoeuvre themselves, as the wheels are too small to reach let alone use to propel oneself.

The arms on a wheelchair are essential for support whilst seated. Many wheelchairs have detachable armrests which can be removed to allow sideways transfers.  An alternative to detachable arms is to have swing up arms which pivot at the back. Some chairs have armrests which swing up and are detachable.

Some of the more sophisticated wheelchairs incorporate height adjustable armrests. This is particularly useful when you need to use a pressure cushion in the wheelchair which may change your seating position.

The answer is yes you can remove the footplates on most wheelchairs. Being able to remove the footplates altogether is important for transporting the wheelchair as it reduces the overall size of the frame.

The majority of footrests swing outwards or sometimes outward and inwards, having swing away footplates is important for safe transfers, it allows you to stand in front of the chair without having to step over the footplates.

All wheelchairs have a maximum user weight. If you exceed this weight it can lead to the wheelchair becoming unsafe and will invalidate any warranty on the chair.

The normal weight limit for most standard chairs is around 18 stone, (114kg) but there are several heavy-duty wheelchairs available if you weigh in excess of that weight.

The wheelchair pictured has a max user weight of just over 19 stone. (125kg)

The rear wheels on a wheelchair will either be pneumatic tyres and solid rubber.  The pneumatic tyres offer better shock absorption than the solid tyres but they can puncture.  Solid tyres have the advantage of being puncture proof, but they do give a slightly harder ride.

Nearly all of the wheelchairs that we supply now come with solid tyres for peace of mind.

We do offer a repair service which includes puncture repairs on all wheelchairs.

Most standard manual wheelchairs have fixed backrest heights and usually have a small degree of recline of 5 degrees, but this can vary from chair to chair so it is worth comparing different models.

If you are after more of a recline or an adjustable angle back rest – these are available on more specialist chairs which will cost considerably more.