Active Wheelchairs are usually for people who have experienced a spinal cord injury, lives with a congenital difficulty or a younger person who uses a wheelchair frequently. Usually, this person is in their Active wheelchair for most of the day.
An Active Wheelchair are usually lighter than standard wheelchairs and are made of lightweight aluminium, carbon fibre or titanium. They also have extra key features that makes it easier propelling yourself.
To use an active wheelchair, you need to have good upper body strength and a strong core. Having a full range of movement in your arms is also necessary, which in turn means more independence for the person in the chair as they don’t require someone pushing them.
The frame of Active Wheelchairs is usually smaller, which saves on weight. An Active wheelchair is made to fit the person, so it becomes an extension of yourself, rather than you fit the chair.
These chairs can be folding or rigid, but generally rigid is preferred to maximise the amount off pushing in the chair, a folding mechanism can sometimes detract the momentum of propelling.
Larger wheels also maximise the amount of effort exerted when pushing your wheelchair.
Active Wheelchairs generally have lower back rests to give the individual more room for self-propelling, but they are still designed to be supportive for your lower back.
