Rigid Wheelchairs

Rigid wheelchair were once only used for sports but the benefits of a non-folding wheelchair also extend to very active adults and teens. Because they don't fold they have less parts and are considerably lighter in weight. This rigid aspect makes the chair easier to push and much more responsive than a folding chair. Being designed for performance they have a lot of wheel placement and wheel angle adjustability in addition to an adjustable seat angle.

Frame - Rigid frames have less parts, less weight and less frame flexation which makes them stronger than a folding wheelchair. Because of these differences the rigid chairs tend to be more durable. Most frames are aluminum but some rigid models are made of titanium making them extremely light.

Upholstery - The upholstery on rigid chairs is almost always black.

Armrests - The arm style on rigid chairs are limited to swingaway or flip back designs if the chair has any arms at all. Most users of rigid chairs have good upper body strength and balance and don't require armrests.

Footrests - Footrests on most rigid wheelchairs are normally part of the frame and are not removable nor do they swing out of the way but because they are set at almost 90 degrees to the floor they don't stick out very far. There are a couple of models which do offer removable footrests but most do not.

Wheels & Casters - The rear wheels of rigid chairs tend to be larger rather than smaller to ease propulsion but are available from 22" to 26" and are adjustable in angle, vertical and horizontal placement. Often users of rigid wheelchairs opt for high pressure tires which give a harder ride but perform better. The casters on rigid wheelchairs tend to be small (3" to 6") so they don't get in the way or hit the frame when manoeuvring. When set up properly there should be very little weight load on the casters thus minimising the chances of the sinking into soft terrain.

Pros

• Very responsive
• Very strong
• Easy propulsion
• Great wheel placement options
• Very light

Cons

• Expensive ($2,500.00 - $8,500.00)
• Not suitable for most seating products
• Few Options
• Good Balance required

Rigid wheelchairs are available online at: Spinlife