Portable Electric Wheelchair / Portable Power Chair

What to Look for in a Portable Power Chair

When you’re looking to buy a portable electric wheelchair, there are many different features which will affect your decision. The following overview will cover some of the details you should look out for:

• Does it fold? If not, does it disassemble quickly?
• What is the overall weight of the chair?
• What is the weight of the heaviest piece of the chair when disassembled?
• What are its dimensions, when folded and/or disassembled?
• Does it have indoor and outdoor riding capabilities?
• What are customers saying about this chair? Is it working for them?

What Makes a Portable Electric Wheelchair Portable?

There are several factors which will have an effect on the electric wheelchair’s transportability. If a user needs to transport his wheelchair for short trips and doesn’t want to buy special equipment (such as a vehicle lift) in order to access a vehicle, a user can take a motorized transport chair just about anywhere.

Of course, wheelchairs can’t always be transported easily when they are assembled, due to their large size and heavy weight. If one is interested in a portable electric wheelchair that is practical for regular use, it’s important to select a lightweight portable power chair with the following features:

Folding

Some parts of a portable motorized wheelchair are foldable, while others have much more advanced capabilities. Some lighter models may actually be considered portable folding electric wheelchairs, since, while they may not be intended for disassembly, the entire wheelchair can conveniently fold up, enabling both transport and storage. When choosing a portable power chair, always check the description and product reviews to find out how easy it is to fold the device.

Ease of Assembly & Disassembly

Most of the travel power chairs offered here at AvaCare Medical are designed and optimized not only for mobility, but also for ease of transport. Some of them may have folding parts as mentioned above, but many of these portable mobility chairs are actually easy to assemble and take apart. This makes it very easy to transport the chair during travel.

If the wheelchair is constructed of interlocking components, one may be able to easily transport the patient to his designated seat, and then, within minutes, take apart the chair to stow away in his storage compartment for travel. The user can then put it back together just as quickly. Most of our portable power chairs have this feature.

Overall Weight

One needs to consider the combined weight of the wheelchair when it is assembled. Wheelchair weights can vary greatly; so much so that some lightweight models weigh less than a hundred pounds. In these cases, users may not need to disassemble and assemble the wheelchair as frequently, and many of the lighter chairs will just be folded instead.

However, depending on the weight of the individual parts and how many accessories are attached, the model’s weight can be significantly influenced. Also, aside from the individual user’s weight, the type of terrain the wheelchair is used to travel on also makes a difference. One should only use the chair in appropriate settings, relative to the model’s weight capacity and intended terrain.

Size & Weight of the Heaviest Piece

Though this factor primarily concerns transportable wheelchairs that can be taken apart and put together quickly, the size of the heaviest piece remains a factor to remember when it comes to the initial assembly of a folding or travel electric wheelchair. Whether you are a user or caregiver, it’s important that everyone remains safe when it comes to being able to lift a piece that may be considerably heavy. Which brings us to...

Portable Electric Wheelchair Safety

Aside from simple cosmetics and features affecting assembly and disassembly, one crucial thing to consider is the safety of a portable power chair. Most electric wheelchairs come with specific features that are designed to ease the transporting process. Some of these features that you’ll want to ensure exist on your model are:

• Safety Seat Belts: For increased safety, ensure that the electric wheelchair you are considering has a seat belt. Whether the wheelchair is portable doesn’t really make such a difference; either way, a safety seat belt can ensure that a fall, tip-over, or slip-out will not occur by safely keeping the user seated in the right position for ease of mobility. Furthermore, a seat belt will help users feel secure and allow them to enable full-speed driving without worrying about their safety.
• Armrest Padding: While some wheelchairs don’t always come with padding, this factor is for more than mere cushioning. Some users have heavy arms, and when resting their arms on hard surfaces for long periods of time, their arms may become bruised or experience pain and discomfort if they aren’t using an armrest with cushioned surfaces. In fact, heavy users who have low mobility are likely to develop sores from non-padded armrests if used for long periods of time.
• Adjustable Foot Rests: Some wheelchairs come with basic adjustable footrests, while others are designed to have foot plates attached to them. These features accommodate users of varying heights, preventing the risk of injury due to the person’s feet dragging on the ground. Some of these products must be purchased separately when buying a travel power wheelchair.
• Durable Tires: Power chairs have different tires than standard wheelchairs. They are meant to offer mobility features that aren’t typically on some other wheelchairs. At the same time, some power wheelchairs may also have non-marking tires in order to ensure that they don’t scuff up floors. Another key feature of wheelchair tires and wheels is that some portable wheelchairs feature front-wheel drive tires instead of the typical rear-wheel drive models. This makes it easier for users to drive on numerous terrain types and to be able to handle bumps and small obstacles.
• Safe Speed Limits: Another factor to consider is the maximum speed limit that a wheelchair can travel. All power chairs for sale, including our portable power wheelchairs, travel at safe speeds so as to prevent injuries from occurring due to reckless maneuvering at high speeds. 

Here at AvaCare Medical, we carry only the best lightweight, portable power wheelchairs available. If you have any concerns, or you’d like to find out any information about travel wheelchairs for seniors that you don’t see on our website, simply give us a call at 1-877-813-7799 and we’ll be happy to assist you!

DISCLAIMER: The information and product categorization on this page are not intended as a substitute for medical advice. We have made every effort to create an accurate and user-friendly category, however, it is the user's responsibility to review each product and determine its suitability for their intended use.