Folding Wheelchairs

There are many misconceptions about folding wheelchairs, and many people have trouble understanding the differences between folding and rigid wheelchairs.

A typical folding wheelchair has a frame that is shaped like an X, and normally, it folds from one side to another. By taking a look under the seat, it's easy to identify a wheelchair that is foldable.

Rigid Wheelchairs

A chair that is not foldable is called a rigid wheelchair. This type of wheelchair has what is called a rigid frame, and these wheelchairs are normally used by athletes because they're great for temporary use.

Unmatched Portability

When compared with their rigid counterparts, folding wheelchairs are considered to be extremely portable and manual. For the longest time, unmatched portability has been one of the top benefits of purchasing and using a folding wheelchair.

The majority of folding wheelchairs are ultra light, so they're much easier to transport than rigid wheelchairs. However, it's important to understand how they fold.

How They Fold

All folding wheelchairs have a part that is called a cross brace, and this part makes it possible for vertical folding of the chair. A rigid wheelchair has a frame that can never be collapsed.

It's important that the term folding be properly clarified. Many of the modern rigid wheelchairs have folding backs, but as a whole, the chairs are not foldable.

A wheelchair is only considered foldable if its frame can be collapsed. However, over the last decade, wheelchair designs have changed radically, and many rigid wheelchairs have foldable backs and arm rests.

Why They Fold

Foldable wheelchairs were originally created to be easier to transport. Obviously, it's much harder to transport rigid wheelchairs because they're heavy and don't fold. Lightweight, foldable wheelchairs changed everything because they're much easier to load into trunks.

It's also important to note that transportation has changed radically. Modern automobiles are much different than the vehicles that occupied the roads nearly 20 years ago.

The fact that many rigid chairs have foldable backs makes them easier to transport, but they're still not as portable as folding wheelchairs. Consumers need to understand that virtually all foldable wheelchairs are manual because they simply wouldn't be able to fold if they had a motor.

It's hard for a person with disabilities to get around, so they need a chair that is ultra light and easy to load into trunks. A folding wheelchair fits this need perfectly.