Traveling with a Lightweight Wheelchair

When you are in the situation where you need to rely on a wheelchair to get around, a regular model is usually sufficient for most of your needs. But there are some situations where a lighter weight model has huge benefits and as a standby for traveling, really comes into its own.

In fact, it's the highly mobile side of these wheelchairs that is of such interest to me. So it's this aspect of this type of chair that this article will look into.

Regular Models

Most wheelchairs designed for general use are built to be sturdy as they often have to carry the often hefty weight of the occupant as well as be wheeled along often less than smooth sidewalks or along paths that were never originally intended for this mode of transportation. That means the frame is often rigid and of tubular steel which is of necessity fairly robust to be able to bear the burden of its occupant and navigate the terrain they have to traverse.

That's fine for day to day use, as it needs to have a long and useful lifespan. But there are many situations where this high level of sturdiness is not so essential and a lighter framed version can be used to great effect.

Lightness and Portability for Traveling

When traveling, especially by air, a lightweight folding wheelchair is a really useful aid. This is because it can travel with the user on the plane and not take up very much space or overbalance their weight restrictions.

Lightweight rigid wheelchairs are similarly useful when traveling by other mediums such as by train or coach for the same reasons of low storage space requirements and carry-ability. When being transported by road in a suitably adapted vehicle with wheelchair access such as a handicap van or MPV or even a wheelchair accessible RV, the space limitations are not so great, but are still very welcome.

Getting Around in Crowded Areas

This type of chair is also much more maneuverable in places like airports, railway stations and even shopping malls where the flooring tends to be of higher quality and smoother than general sidewalks. There are often large crowds of people to have to navigate around in these kinds of places, so there is another benefit!

Get the Max Benefit

Getting the most from lightweight wheelchairs is possible when they are put to the right uses and in the right situations. These are just about anywhere where the chair is not going to have to be manhandled by helpers up and down stairs or rough steps, or have to be bumped along an uneven sidewalk or track.

However you use yours, you'll be much happier at being able to move yourself around more easily. This is thanks to the lower weight and a helper will also be thankful for the easier load to push around!