By the time you read this post, I’ll have been seen by wheelchair service and will know whether they’ve agreed to replace my faulty wheelchair. I received a call with an appointment, giving me less than a week’s notice. Overall, this is positive. It means that I’m being seen as soon as possible. Unfortunately, that gives me less time to plan, research and, in doing so, write my active user wheelchair blog posts. So, I’ve decided to cram as much as I can into the short space of time I’ve been given, starting with taking a look at active user wheelchair frame options. This post and others in this series are not meant to be a replacement for medical advice, rather they are to encourage and support you in deciding on what you need with a trained professional.
The frame is the base of your wheelchair, which is why it’s a great place to start when thinking about what you need. With active user wheelchairs, most other elements of the chair can be changed. I know this from personal experience as, in the two and a half years of trying to ‘fix’ my Kuschall K-Series, the only thing left of my original wheelchair is the frame and the hand rims!
There are two main things to consider when deciding on the type of frame that’s best for you – materials and whether you want folding or rigid.
Active User Wheelchair Frame Options: Folding or Rigid?
I’m going to start by considering folding versus a rigid frame because, for many people, this is a very important factor to consider. There are pros and cons of each.
As with all aspects of your wheelchair, it’s important to consider your social needs as well as your physical ones.Take some time to think about the different situations you’ll be using your wheelchair in and consider whether a folding or rigid frame will be most suitable in each scenario.
For example, if you’re a driver who needs to be able to transfer from your wheelchair into your car seat and then put your chair into the car, you may find that a rigid frame wheelchair is most suitable. This is because rigid framed chairs are designed so that you can lift the frame (having taken the rear wheels off) and sit it on the seat next to you. A rigid frame doesn’t concertina together, but usually the backrest will fold forward.
However, if you’re a driver who is able to get from the boot of their car to the drivers seat without the need for your wheelchair, you may find that you prefer a folding chair (though most rigid wheelchairs can be put into the boot of a standard car – mine certainly can).
When thinking about your use around the house, you may find that if you aren’t using your wheelchair all the time you’d prefer a folding chair because storing it takes up less space. But, if you have a condition where you feel small changes, you may find that a rigid wheelchair frame is the best option.
Performance wise, a rigid frame active user wheelchair requires less energy to self propel than an equivalent folding frame wheelchair. This is because some of the energy that’s transferred through the wheelchair when you self propel, gets lost in the hinges of a folding active user wheelchair.
Personally, with my hEDS, having tried a fixed frame active user wheelchair, I’d never go back to a folding frame. For me, the rigid frame is much more comfortable. I feel a lot of movement in folding frame chairs, which adds to my pain levels. I also find a rigid chair easier to manoeuvre.
It’s worth bearing in mind that, if you want to add one of the power assist wheel options to your active user wheelchair, this tends to be easier and less costly with a rigid frame. However, most of the power assist options can be added to a folding active user wheelchair, though some will require the addition of a bracket for this to be possible. Make sure to check with a specialist mobility company representative (from places like Gerald Simonds, Bromakin andRGK) to find out if the active user wheelchair and power assist wheels that you’re considering are compatible.
If you can, I’d highly recommend trying both rigid and folding active user wheelchair frame options before deciding what’s best for you. If you can’t try both folding and rigid framed active user wheelchairs, I’d recommend reading Review My Wheelchair’s helpful Rigid frame or folding frame manual wheelchair post for more helpful things to think about.
It’s worth noting at this point that the footrest options for a folding wheelchair are a little more limited than with a rigid active user wheelchair frame. There’s a lot to consider with footplate options for active user wheelchairs, so I’ll save this for a separate blog post.
Active User Wheelchair Frame Options: Front of Frame Style
There are two main styles for the front of an active user wheelchair frame. Tapered, which is often the standard option and ‘V’ style. For some this is just a matter of aesthetics. However, some people will benefit from one style over another because of their needs. It’s worth noting that different manufacturers use different terminology and have different tapering options available. Always check the specifications of the particular chair you’re ordering with your therapist or mobility representative.
For example, I benefit from being able to move my feet and legs to a different position on my footplate at regular intervals. With my wonky joints, this helps me avoid becoming stiff and uncomfortable. My PoTS symptoms also benefit from be being able to move my feet and legs, as this reduces blood pooling in my legs. However, I know that some people with a spinal chord injury like to have a ‘V’ shaped frame as they find that it keeps their legs from falling off their footplate.
As with everything when considering the specifications of your active user wheelchair, what works for one person may not work for another. It’s very much personal preference.
Active User Wheelchair Frame Options: Front of Frame Angle
When talking about the frame angle, we’re looking at the angle of the front of the wheelchair’s frame – the bit that’s connected to the footplate. Most active user wheelchair frames have two options: 90 degrees and 75 degrees.
With a front frame angle of 90 degrees, the front of the frame is vertical. The user’s legs and feet will be tucked in. One benefit of this style of front frame angle is that the wheelchair takes up less space. This can make it easier to manouver, particularly in tight spaces and can make putting it into a car easier. However, it can put the user’s legs, feet and ankles in an awkward position. On some active user wheelchairs, like the Kuschall K-Series, it’s possible to turn the foot plate around so that the user’s legs aren’t tucked in quite so much. If this is something that you’re considering doing, check that your wheelchair of choice allows for you to make this adjustment before ordering.
A 75 degree angle is a very popular choice for many people. This offers a natural position for the legs and allows the feet to sit at their natural 90 degree angle to one another. However, there are some drawbacks to this frame angle. Some people may find that the frame catches on dropped curbs (or other obstructions), particularly if the wheelchair user has long legs. Compared to the 90 degree frame, the 75 takes up more space and may be more difficult to put into smaller cars.
Everyone’s needs are different, so it’s worth weighing up the pros and cons for the two different front frame angles (or more if your wheelchair of choice has additional options).
When it came to being measured for my active user wheelchair, I told the therapist and representative that the 90 degree frame didn’t feel right to me. It wasn’t comfortable. Unfortunately, at the time, I wasn’t aware of the terminology to be able to explain in a succinct way that I needed a 75 degree frame, rather than the 90 degree option that the demo wheelchair had. I did however repeat multiple times that “My feet need to be further forward, like this,” with a demonstrated of where my legs felt most comfortable (which wasn’t easy with nothing to rest my feet on!). I was fobbed off with “you won’t want it too far out or the chair will be too long for you” and “well, if it isn’t right, we can turn the footplate round.” These are both very valid points, but not ones that should’ve overridden what I was telling the rep and therapist that I needed.
In the end, it didn’t make a difference, as I couldn’t rest my feet flat on my footplate anyway because when I was measured for my active user wheelchair, they forgot to take the height of my cushion into consideration. *Face palm*
Active User Wheelchair Frame Options: Materials
There are a number of different materials that active user wheelchairs are available in. Most common are Aluminium, Titanium and Carbon.
Generally, carbon fibre frames are the lightest, followed by titanium, then aluminium. This is reflected in the price.
This means that the equivalent wheelchair in carbon fibre will weight less than it’s titanium and aluminium counterpart and it will likely cost more. However, if you were to look at a different brand or even a different range made by the same brand, you’ll find that weights differ.
So, if lightweight is a high priority for you, but your budget doesn’t stretch to a carbon fibre wheelchair, you may find that you can get an equivalent weight wheelchair by looking at a different brand or range.
It’s worth mentioning that there are usually a number of colour and finish options available when thinking about your active user wheelchair frame options. The number and type of colours available varies from chair to chair. Each brand will have their own range of colours and their availability within ranges can vary. So if the colour of your wheelchair frame is an important factor for you, it’s worth checking that the wheelchair your considering comes in the colour that you want.
You can find out more about the different materials available for your active user wheelchair in the Kuschall brochure on the Gerald Simonds website.
When being measured for your active user wheelchair, I would recommend checking that the height of the cushion is taken into account. When I was measured for my first active user wheelchair, my wheelchair therapist didn’t do this (despite a reminder being printed on the order form). As a result, my ankles have been wobbling all over the place, because my feet don’t reach the footplate properly – I’m on tip toes!
There are some additional frame considerations when choosing your wheelchair, related to seating and wheel position. As these can be specific to the wheelchair brand and model, I’ll discuss them under the category that they’re related to (e.g. the bucket angle will be considered when we talk about seating).
Do you have any preferences with your active user wheelchair frame?
I’d love to know what works/doesn’t work for you and why.
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