Electric wheelchairs are motorized wheelchairs. Electric wheelchairs, sometimes called powered wheelchairs, can vastly improve the mobility of people who might not be able to use manual wheelchairs. Electric wheelchairs use rechargeable batteries.
Some people choose to use manual wheelchairs due to the cost of electric wheelchairs. Others may have the medical need for electric wheelchairs if they do not have the necessary upper arm strength to use a manual wheelchair without assistance.
If the user of a manual wheelchair must navigate inclined surfaces like ramps or hills or move over curbs, the user may need assistance. Though an electric wheelchair has limitations, the use of an electric wheelchair may reduce the frequency of the need for assistance. An electric wheelchair will not help a user move over a curb on their own, but it may eliminate the need to assistance on inclined surfaces and not cause tiring after a long period of use.
There are three basic models of electric wheelchairs: rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, and mid-wheel drive. Rear-wheel drive wheelchairs are the traditional models.
Front-wheel drive wheel chairs offer better maneuverability than rear-wheel drive wheelchairs. Mid-wheel drive wheelchairs offer the best maneuverability, but can be somewhat unstable when stopping and starting.
People using electric wheelchairs have more free use of their hands and arms. A person using a manual wheelchair has to stop moving in order to be able to use their hands.
One disadvantage of using an electric wheelchair is its reliance on battery power. If the user forgets to charge the battery and it loses power, the user cannot use the electric wheelchair until the battery is charged.
Electric wheelchairs can be difficult to transport by vehicle since they are much heavier and larger than manual wheelchairs. Electric wheelchair manufacturers offer wheelchair accessories like ramps and motorized lifts to assist in loading an electric wheelchair into a vehicle.
Cost is a disadvantage of electric wheelchairs. If the electric wheelchair is deemed necessary by physician, the insurance company may pay most or all of the cost of the electric wheelchair.
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