When it comes to pushing a wheelchair as a caregiver a lot of concerns and questions are centered around the ease of pushing the wheelchair. This is a valid concern especially for those that will need to push a manual wheelchair for a loved one when they are using the chair. Not all wheelchairs push as easily as others and a lot of factors are in play as to how easy a wheelchair can move. The patient weight, the ground the chair is being used on, the size of the tires, and more are all factors that can either make a wheelchair easier or harder to push. We have come up with a list of wheelchairs that are easy to push for but the caregiver and the person using them if they choose or can self-propel.
For the most part, it is fair to say that most wheelchairs are easy to push in terms of what caregivers have told us. Today’s wheelchairs are built lighter, stronger, and with better components wheels that make moving a wheelchair easier for both the pusher and the person manually propelling the wheelchair.
However, there are many factors that can make a wheelchair harder to push. that is out of the actual design of a wheelchair’s control. We discuss those below.
What factors can cause a wheelchair to be harder to push?
Most manual wheelchairs are easy to push on a flat hard surface, even heavier wheelchairs that are older and not built with today’s cutting-edge technologies. With that said there are some things that can make pushing a manual wheelchair from a caregiver’s perspective harder. They can be things such as:
Terrian: What type of ground you are pushing the wheelchair on will have factors on how hard or easy it might be to push or self properly a wheelchair. Hard smooth surfaces will make pushing the wheelchair the easiest.
Wheel size: The size of the wheels can make pushing much easier or harder the smaller they are. Bigger wheels can move faster and they are easier to push than smaller wheels. They also are better at moving over surfaces other than hard smooth terrain. For example, larger wheels can tackle grass, gravel, and even some sand much better than a small wheel.
Believe us when we say I can be really frustrating when pushing a loved one in a wheelchair and it feels like you are snagged on something trying to move the wheelchair. There are some things you can do in order to make a wheelchair push easier.
Make sure the handlebars use a comfortable handlebar material that is easy on your hands
Below are some easy-to-push wheelchairs based on martial and components that make a lightweight and ultralight wheelchair that makes pushing by a caregiver and self-propelling easier than other wheelchairs when you compare it on a regular hand surface.
Our overall choice for one of the easiest manual wheelchairs to push. At only 13.5 lbs this is one of the lightest wheelchairs you can purchase. Made from the state of art materials this wheelchair is extremely light and strong.
The rear wheel size is 22″ with the front 6″ wheels. These wheels make moving over smooth surfaces really easy to push and or self-propel for those who would use this wheelchair is a true manual wheelchair.
This particular chair folds up super easy and small making travel a breeze and a top choice for anyone who is looking for an easy-to-push lightweight travel chair.
The push handles are comfortable and it comes with a handbrake that caregivers can use to easily and safely bring the wheelchair to a stop.
Final Thoughts on what wheelchairs are easist to push
Wheelchairs should be easy to push when the proper type of wheelchair is used. Keep in mind that a lot of conditions outside of the wheelchair can make pushing a wheelchair much harder like ground conditions, slopes, the weight of the person, wheelchair wheels, and more that can make a wheelchair feel like it’s stuck in the mud.
Remember to maintain the wheels, use manual wheelchairs with larger rear wheels to keep the motion smooth and easy. These steps can help to reduce drag and make pushing a wheelchair easier.
Adam Smith is the main researcher and contributor at Mobility Medical Supply. Adam has many years of research in public data, and software security. With Mobility issues within Adam's family, he decided to dedicate in-depth guides on mobility products to anyone looking to improve movement and gain independence.
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