The choice of your wheelchair wheels will depend on the use of your wheelchair. Whether outdoor or indoor, the terrain and activities you engage in will also determine the type of wheels you choose for your chair.

The smoothness of the ride combined with speed maneuverability and control are all related to the wheelchair tires, casters and wheels. Choosing these components is not an easy task it is advisable to contact an expert such as a therapist or health care professional to help you choose a combination that will meet your lifestyle, maintenance, and affordability needs.

Wheelchair Wheels and Components

Manual wheelchairs have two sets of wheels a pair in front called a caster and a pair at the back called the drive wheels. Power wheelchairs, on the other hand, may have up to three wheels; one caster and two drive wheels. One of the factors you should consider when selecting wheelchair wheels is how heavy they are and the environment which you will be using them. Spoke wheels are usually lighter than mag wheels but they require more maintenance. They are less suitable for moist surfaces. Mag wheels are mostly maintenance free but are affected by extreme temperatures.

Which Tires?

Tires can either be pneumatic (air-filled), solid and flat free foam, urethane or rubber filled. Depending on the terrain you wish to use them they may be knobbly or smooth. As a rule of thumb, you should know that tires affect how easily a wheelchair specific rolls over surfaces. The harder the tire, the easier it will be to propel your wheelchair and the softer the tire the harder it becomes to propel your wheelchair. Here are your choices: Continue reading →