Portable Lightweight Folding Wheelchairs for Travel
Lightweight wheelchairs feature a foldable, easily maneuverable design ideal for personal use, travel or transport in a medical setting. Many lightweight wheelchairs for sale have qualities such as removable back wheels, removable footrests and flip-up armrests. These attributes allow a caregiver or loved one to easily fit a lightweight, portable wheelchair into a car trunk or the back seat. Lightweight wheelchairs are usually used to make mobili
-
Most Popular
-
Characteristics of Lightweight Wheelchairs
Lightweight, foldable wheelchairs typically have an X-shaped or cross-braced design or a scissor frame. This means that the sides, front and back of the chair fold together to take up less space. Materials like titanium, aluminum and carbon fiber lighten the chair’s weight. A smaller size better suits storing the chair in the backseat of a car.
These characteristics result in a mobility aid that:
- Suits someone with the upper body strength to move the wheelchair or has a caregiver to push them where they need to go.
- Meets the transport needs of someone who travels frequently.
- Accommodates daily use, including going to work, socializing and running errands.
- Can be easily stored in the back of a personal vehicle, as well as on a train or bus.
- Tends to be more affordable than other mobility aids.
Selecting a Lightweight Wheelchair
Convenience and Ease
Lightweight wheelchairs are designed with both the caregiver and the rider in mind. Features accommodate both individuals: Many can still be self-propelled, while some are usable only as transport chairs. The self-propelled models are designed like standard chairs but are made from a lighter material and are more portable when folded.
With these chairs, it is important to keep in mind who will be using them and why. If they are meant to be a permanent transportation option for a rider to move from one point to another, like a house to a car, a compact folding wheelchair suits this use. If the chair is meant to be a temporary mode of transportation, for example during rehabilitation following an injury or surgery, the configuration and features of the leg rests should be prioritized.
Features and Benefits
These wheelchairs don't sacrifice all features. Most have swing-away footrests, side panels and adjustable armrests. One of the economy chairs in this class, like the ProSpin wheelchair by Invacare, includes a height conversion along with many other features.
A lightweight folding wheelchair for traveling ideally offers a higher weight capacity for larger patients and includes wheel locks. Chairs with removable armrests and self-propelled models that double as transport chairs are also available.
Choosing a Comfortable Wheelchair
Some lightweight wheelchairs are designed with very specific riders in mind, like the Drive Medical Viper Plus, which is valuable if the patient needs their legs elevated or back and head lowered.
Some upgrades make wheelchair use more comfortable for the rider. One example is the ROHO Back System, which replaces the current back to improve trunk/pelvic support for the rider.
Related Categories
Login and Registration Form