How to Use a Manual Wheelchair

Anyone who has been permanently injured may require an electric wheelchair or similar power chair or scooter. If you need a chair for a brief period of time, though, you may be given a manual wheelchair to use while you are rehabilitating from your injury. The first time that you attempt to maneuver in the manual wheelchair, you could learn that it is more difficult than it appears. Knowing how to position your body, arms and feet in the manual wheelchair will allow you to use the chair properly.

Instructions

• 1

  Place the manual wheelchair on a flat, even surface before attempting to get in or out of the wheelchair. This precaution will stabilize the chair and make getting in and out of the chair easier and safer.

• 2

  Place the manual wheelchair in the "lock" position. To do this, you will need to locate the hand break. It should be just above one of the back wheels of the chair. Depending on which manual wheelchair you are using, you will have to either pull or push on the hand break in order to lock the chair in place.

• 3

  Get into the manual wheelchair. When you are sitting in the chair, you will want to be sitting straight, with your back firmly against the back rest of the wheelchair. Once you are in position, place your feet flat against the two foot rests on the bottom of the wheelchair.

• 4

  Release the hand break.

• 5

  Grab either the hand rims or the back wheels of the manual wheelchair if there are no hand rims on the chair. The hand rims are the plastic parts that connect to the back wheels of the manual wheelchair. Depending on the manufacturer of the chair, your manual wheelchair may have rims or just have the back wheels. Your thumbs should rest on the base of the rims or wheels. This is always considered the starting position.

• 6

  Propel yourself forward with your arms. When you do this, stretch your arms forward and downward in order to move the wheels of the chair forward. After you have fully extended your arms, you will need to position your hands back to the starting position (described in the previous step). Continue this motion in order to go forward.

• 7

  Pull on the rims or back wheels of the manual wheelchair in order to go backward. Your arms should bend as you are pulling backward, similar to a rowing motion. Pull back as far as you comfortably can and then put your hands back to the starting position. Continue doing this motion until you have reached your desired destination.

• 8

  To execute a 90-degree turn in your manual wheelchair, hold one wheel still and then push or pull the opposite wheel. To turn forward and left, hold the left wheel still and then spin the right wheel forward. Reverse these directions in order to turn forward and right. When turning backward, you will need to pull back on one of the wheels while holding the other wheel still (depending on which way you wish to turn). Remember to turn the appropriate wheel slowly in order to have control of your turn. Practice this maneuver until you get used to making turns in the wheelchair.