Tips For Buying A Wheelchair For An Overweight Individual

The unfortunate truth is overweight individuals find themselves in a number of situations where extra considerations need to be made when they are purchasing certain things. This can include furniture, clothing, vehicles, and even wheelchairs. If you are shopping for yourself or a family member who is overweight, the last thing you want to do is purchase something that isn't going to be able to support whoever is sitting in it. Fortunately, there are a number of tips that can help you avoid buying an unusable wheelchair.

The Chair Should Be Reinforced With a Steel Frame

When shopping, you are only going to want to look at wheelchairs where the seating of the chair is reinforced with a steel frame. Other materials will not be able to support the weight of the individual sitting in the chair. Naturally, you should check the manufacturing information for the maximum weight capacity of the chair as well. Make sure the maximum weight is higher than the weight of the individual riding in it. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to gain weight while you are in a wheelchair as it limits your ability to be active.

Avoid Wheelchairs Where The Tires Still Have Air

You will find on some models of wheelchairs air is no longer used in the tires. Instead, the tires feature a durable materials and urethane is used to fill up the tires. This makes the tires much more robust. Tires filled with urethane are going to be more supportive than tires filled with air.

Buy a Chair With a Wider Wheelbase

Wheelchairs with a narrow wheelbase are difficult to maneuver. Getting a wheelchair with a wider wheelbase will make it much easier for the overweight individual to handle the chair without needing assistance.

Choose a Wheelchair With Wider Wheels

Wider and larger wheels are going to be much more supportive of an overweight individual. It is much easier for small tires to snap under weight than larger ones.

Choose a Seat With Adjustable Arms

No two overweight individuals are going to be exactly the same. Unfortunately, this means there is no perfect wheelchair that is right for every overweight individual. For an overweight individual, few things are more embarrassing than not being able to sit somewhere because their hips are too wide for the seat. You can avoid this problem with the wheelchair by making sure the arms are adjustable. This way the person sitting only has to use the arms if he or she wants to. In some cases, it may even be easier to lift the arms up to get into the chair and then put them down after he or she is seated.

As you can see, there are a lot of small things to consider when shopping for a wheelchair that is specifically for someone who is overweight. With these tips, you should have no trouble getting a usable wheelchair. Contact a medical supplier, like Southwest Medical & Rehab or another location, for more tips and information.