There are a wide variety types of wheelchairs on the market, and friends who have been to the exhibition must have a dazzling and profound experience. But are the various types of products evenly distributed?
The answer, of course, is… unbalanced!
We checked the information on the wheelchair product database of EASTIN, the European wheelchair authority, and found that there are only four major categories of products, including two-handed wheel drive wheelchairs, hand push wheelchairs, power steering electric wheelchairs and manual steering electric wheelchairs.
General Wheelchair
As the name suggests, it is a wheelchair sold by general medical equipment stores. It is roughly the shape of a chair, with four wheels, the rear wheel is larger, and a push wheel is added. The brake is also added to the rear wheel, and the front wheel is smaller for steering. An anti-roll wheel is added to the back of the wheelchair.
Generally, wheelchairs are relatively light and can be folded and put away.
It is suitable for those who have general conditions, or those with short-term mobility difficulties, and are not suitable for sedentary sitting.
Special Wheelchair
Depending on the patient’s condition, there are many different accessories, such as reinforced load capacity, special cushions or backrests, neck support systems…etc.
Since it is called special, the price is of course very different. In terms of use, it is also troublesome due to the large number of accessories. It is usually used in severe cases or severely deformed limbs or trunks.
Electric Wheelchair
It is a wheelchair with an electric motor.
According to the control method, there are joysticks, and various switch controls such as head or blowing system.
For those who are severely paralyzed or need a large moving distance, as long as their cognitive ability is good, using an electric wheelchair is a good choice, but it requires a large space for movement.
The electric wheelchair also has a brake and a button to notify pedestrians to give way and avoid traffic accidents.
Special (sports) Wheelchairs
Specially designed wheelchairs for recreational sports or competitions.
There are racing or basketball, and dancing is also very common.
Generally speaking, light weight and durability are the characteristics, and many high-tech materials will be used.
Other Wheelchairs
For example, scooter, which belongs to the broad sense of wheelchair, is used by many elderly people. Roughly divided into three-wheel and four-wheel, driven by electric motor, speed limit 15km/h, graded by load capacity.
Author: Tigress