Wheelchairs

Wheelchair seating in a theater

A lightweight manual wheelchair

A wheelchair is a complex medical device used by people for whom walking is difficult or impossible due to illness or disability and incorporates posturally supportive seating, including pressure cushions in many cases. Wheelchairs and seating solutions are prescribed typically by highly specialised Occupational or Physio Therapists. A wheelchair should be considered as a combination of chair, pressure cushion and posture aids.

Types

There are four main types of wheelchair:

• Manual. There are three types of manual wheelchair. Self-Propelled, Attendant Propelled and Wheelbases.

• Self-Propelled Wheelchairs: These are propelled by the occupant usually by using large rear wheels, typically 24" in diameter (variable 20"-26"). A person moves a self-propelled manual chair by pushing ,circular bars on the outside of the large wheels with their hands called handrims, these have a diameter that is slightly less than that of the rear wheels. One-arm drive enables individuals to guide and propel the wheelchair from one side. Two handrims, one smaller than the other, are located on one side of the chair, left or right. On most models the outer, or smaller rim, is connected to the opposite wheel by a folding axle. When both handrims are grasped together, the chair may be propelled forward or backward in a straight line. When either handrim is moved independently, the chair will turn left or right in response to the handrim used. An alternative is a lever-drive chair that propells the chair forwards by using a lever that is pumped back and forth. Some chairs are also configured to allow the occupant to propell using one or both feet instead of using the rims

• Attendant Propelled. Wheelchairs that can only be pushed by another person, having two 12" wheels instead of two large wheels in the rear and two small 8-inch castor wheels at the front. Such chairs are more compact though harder to push for an attendant than self-propelled chairs.

• Wheelbases: These are designed to have specially moulded seating systems interfaced with them for those with a more complicated posture. A moulded seating system involves taking a cast of a person's best acheivable seated position and the either carving the shape from memory foams of forming a plastic mesh around it. This seat is then covered, framed and attatched to a wheelbase.

• Power Chairs: Three types exist, EPIC (Electrically Powered Indoor Chair) EPOC (E.P. Outdoor Chair) and the EPIOC (E.P. Indoor/Outdoor Chair) Usually powered by 4 Amp or 5 Amp rechargeable battery or batteries. Three styles of Power Chairs exist: Rear, Centre and Front Wheel Driven. Each style has particular handling characteristics. Power chairs are moved by actuating motors, and can be controlled by various methods from a simple joystick to chin controls and puff/suck scanners for those with C2-3 Spinal Cord lesions or head injuries. Power chairs can offer various powered functions such as tilt, recline, leg elevation, seat elevation etc.

Wheelchairs come in many sizes and colors and are usually highly customized for the individual user, with many configurations possible including seat size (width and depth), seat-to-floor height, footrests/leg rests, front castor outriggers, tension adjustable backrests, and much more.

All models of Wheelchair are available with a range of accessories that ensure safety, stability, postural integrity, and functional ability of the occupant. These may be, for example, anti-tipping levers (prevent rearward instability when ascending a gradient), posture belts, tension adjustable backrest, tilt and/or recline etc. Some powerchairs are modular and allow the power-unit to be disengaged and replaced with a manual option. Some companies make power assisted hubs for self propelling chairs.

Experiments have also been made with unusual variant wheels, like the omniwheel or the mecanum wheel. These allow more directional movement options.

Disabled athletes use streamlined sport wheelchairs for sports that require speed and agility, such as basketball, rugby, tennis and racing.

Wheelchair ramp and disabled parking space

Powerchairs

Powerchairs, or "electric wheelchairs," use electric motors instead of manpower. They are usually powered by rechargeable deep-cycle batteries, similar to those used to power outboard boat engines. The user typically controls speed and direction by operating a joystick similar to that found on video game consoles. Many other input devices can be used if the wheelchair user lacks coordination or dexterity of the hands or fingers or cannot use the hands at all.

In 2005, University of Toronto researcher Alex Mihailidis and colleague Jesse Hoey developed an anti-collision system for powered wheelchairs.[1]

Buildings

A gate for wheelchairs in Hiroshima

Adapting the built environment to make it more accessible to wheelchair users is one of the key campaigns of disability rights movements and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). For example, the construction of low floor trams and buses is being encouraged whereas the use of paternosters in public buildings without any alternative method of transportation has been criticized due to the lack of access for wheelchair users. Modern street furniture design now incorporates better accessibility for people with disabilities.

Notable users

Katie at the CBC Museum

• Max Cleland, former US Senator from Georgia
• Justin Whitlock Dart, Jr. (1930-2002), disability activist and "father of the Americans with Disabilities Act"
• Ed Roberts, founder of the disability movement
• Julie Fernandez, British actress (see The Office)
• Frank Gardner, BBC journalist who was paralysed after being shot by Al-Qaeda.
• Rick Hansen, wheelchair athlete who successfully circumnavigated the globe in his chair in the name of spinal cord injury research and as a good example of paraplegic athletes.
• Stephen Hawking, theoretical astrophysicist
• John Hockenberry, American journalist
• Ron Kovic, Vietnam veteran and peace activist
• Jim Langevin, US Congressman from Rhode Island
• Christopher Reeve (1952–2004), late movie actor, the former Superman
• Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945), 32nd President of the United States
• Ahmed Yassin (~1937–2004), assassinated founder of the Hamas organization
• Vladimir Lenin (~1870 to 1924 A Russian Revolutionary, the leader of the Bolshevik party, the first premier of the Soviet Union and the main theorist of Leninism was in a wheelchair for the last year of his life after suffering a Stroke

Fictional

• Timmy, from South Park
• Joe Swanson, from Family Guy
• Wheels of the Burger King Kids Club Gang
• Ironside
• Andy of Little Britain (doesn't really need it)
• Dr. Strangelove (apparently doesn't need it.)
• Brian Potter from Phoenix Nights
• Professor Charles Xavier aka Professor X, founder and leader of The X-Men
• Pelswick
• John Locke, from ABC's Lost (but is miraculously no-longer paraplegic)

External links

• Dept of Transportation Information about air travelers with disabilities and their rights in the US
• Electric Wheelchair Sports Wheelchair sports for the disabled
• Etiquette: Wheelchair users Suggestions for better communication with people who use wheelchairs
• Kurumaisu Jutsu: Wheelchair Techniques Self defense for wheelchair users