A proper wheelchair is very important, as it will help you to do all the activities you decide to do. It needs to fit your body, your abilities and your lifestyle. Once you have procured the right wheelchair, keeping it well maintained is equally important.

What are the different kinds of wheelchairs available?
The different kinds of wheelchairs available are:

• Manual Wheelchair: Large rear wheel / small front caster.Propulsion by concentric hand-rims attached to rear-wheels. Good upper body strength is a must. These chairs may or may not be folding. May be attendant or self propelled
• Powered wheelchair:For patients with inadequate muscle function, or those with insufficient pulmonary or cardiac reserves. Control systems can vary depending upon the user’s residual function e.g. chin control, tongue control, puff and sip control, sonic control, light control etc. These are very expensive and not available in India

How do I decide which is the right wheelchair for me?
Before deciding the wheelchair you plan to purchase you need to know your energy level and abilities based on your level of your injury and the level of your independence, daily activities you can do for yourself. Other points to consider are:

• whether the wheelchair is for indoor/ outdoor use or both?
• Your ability to transfer and the amount of assistance required for getting in or out of the chair.
• What features will make the wheelchair more comfortable
• What type of transport do you use or plan to use to get about
• Funds available to purchase the wheelchair
• architectural barriers at home & workplace.

What additional features will make the wheelchair more comfortable?
If you are either a paraplegic or a tetraplegic your wheelchair should be:

• folding
• with detachable armrests
• swinging and/or detachable footrests
• good braking system

other features you can consider having are:

• detachable rear wheels
• desk type arm rest

Be sure of the colour of the wheelchair you want. A heavy wheelchair is difficult to use.
How to know a good wheelchair from others?

• If you can propel it without undue exertion.
• Are efficient.
• If the footrests and armrests can be easily detached, stored and replaced.
• Easy maneuverability at home/work environment.
• If you can transfer yourself (independently/ with assistance) in and out of the chair safely.

What is the importance of a folding wheelchair?
A folding wheelchair will give you greater maneuverability to travel. This option will give you a lot of freedom and confidence to do more.
After purchase, take care of your chair! Regular maintenance is important. Tightening loose screws and regular oiling can prevent major breakdowns later.

Give me tips on wheelchair maintenance
It is important to keep your wheelchair in the best condition so as to avoid an accident or inconvenience at the wrong time. Oiling is important for easy maneuvering. Folding and detachable parts if not oiled can give a problem when you are all dressed to go out. Try and stick to a fortnightly oiling schedule. A detailed maintenance chart is given below.

Where can I get the oiling and other maintenance done?
Minor maintenance jobs like oiling, and tightening of different parts can be done by someone in your family or friend. Otherwise you can make use of a local cycle repair person. This person would have to be guided the first few times. He will also be able to take care of replacing the ball bearing. For any replacement like the castors, wheelchair seat and back, tyres, you will have to get in touch with the manufactures.

Addresses of some wheelchair manufacturers