Cindry (28) is just an ordinary woman living her ordinary live. When she was just taking her ordinary afternoon walk she got hit by a car. Long story short, she now has a fractured leg and need something to aid her getting around here and there since she's a very mobile person. The problem is her weight is not exactly ordinary. Weighing over 200 pounds using crutches is out of the question since that would be too much for her arm. So she decided that she need a wheelchair and start looking for one.
She is thinking about getting the same type of wheelchair her friend used but that friend suggest that she should get a special wheelchair for obese people. She is feeling rather insulted about the "obese" part but after a while she realize that her friend does have a point. All of the wheelchair she found at the store nearby doesn't seem sturdy enough for her and she really hates to buy one just to found it broken down after a couple of days.
Now, if you are in the market for a wheelchair and you happen to have an excessive weight just like Cindry then do as she does and get a special wheelchair for obese people. There are a couple of good reasons for that and here are some of them :
1. Common wheelchairs can be hard to maneuver because they have a narrow wheelbase. A wheelchair for obese people are made with a wider wheelbase thus it's easier for the person riding it to make a maneuver.
2. The special wheelchair also have a wider wheel which bring greater support. A wider wheel is mandatory for the wheelchair to be able to accommodate the obese person riding on it.
3. To be able to withstand the weight of an obese person the seating is enforced with steel frame. Conventional wheelchair will most likely break under the excessive weight
4. Often the tires no longer have air in it. Instead they contain durable materials such as urethane. This makes the wheelchair more durable and it also require less maintenance.
Manual or Electric?
So, now that you understand that an obese person should use a special wheelchair it's time to decide which type to use. A manual or
electric wheelchair?
For an obese person moving a manual wheelchair can put serious strain on the shoulder and elbow joints. And over the years constant use of manual wheelchair can really wear them out. Some will argue that a manual wheelchair is better because the person using it will have constant exercise thus burning calories. However, a wheelchair is a mobility aid system and should not be considered as an exercise equipment. An obese person should get "a real exercise" when they want to burn calories. At the gym for instance.
In the end it is a wiser decision to go for an
power wheelchair.
