Wheelchair Pads / Air Filled & Gel Pads for Wheelchairs

What Are Wheelchair Seat Pads?

When someone thinks of a wheelchair pad, many times, the first image that comes to mind is a seat cushion. A wheelchair pad is most often of a basic shape. While there are different types, the term pad is much different than cushion. Pads are most often used for helping to reduce friction and absorb shock. They are often made of or covered with a soft material to give it their basic shape. A cushion, however, is often filled with soft material, and may include a pad to provide comfort and support. 

When we dissect these two technical definitions, it’s easy to understand how people might confuse the two terms, since they are very similar. Gel wheelchair pads, like cushions, are also commonly a basic square shape, although some may be contoured. They come in a variety of styles. Foam is another material that wheelchair pads are often made of, and some may or may not come with a cover. Sometimes, the cover has to be purchased separately.

What Are Wheelchair Seat Pads Used for?

Wheelchair gel seat pads are primarily used to help mitigate friction, as mentioned earlier. But what does this mean? Unfortunately, when people need to get in and out of their wheelchairs frequently, they may need something to keep their skin from sticking to the seat. At the same time, they may need some sort of pressure relief because prolonged sitting can cause bedsores or pressure sores. Sometimes, when sedentary, a user will become very hot as their legs remain stationary, and having a pad cushion in their wheelchair can help to keep them cool. More about the benefits of a pad cushion will be mentioned below. 

Benefits of Wheelchair Seat Pads

Seat pads provide a number of benefits for wheelchair seats. Some of them were mentioned above, but here are some others:

• Pressure Sore Relief: Having a gel seat pad can greatly help with bedsores. While there are other types of wheelchair cushions that are more tailored to this specific need, wheelchair pads can help prevent this problem which is common in elderly and disabled individuals.
• Positioning and Stability: Another common problem that causes friction tears (also known as skin tears), pressure sores, or just general discomfort is the fact that not all wheelchair seats hold people in place well. Therefore, when a user needs to be in a chair for a long period of time, gel chair pads and cushions help to keep a person in place better than some other materials.
• Helping with Posture: Often, the person who is sitting in his chair can actually benefit from posture correction provided by a wheelchair pad.
• Providing Some Cushioning: Gel wheelchair cushions provide a distinctly higher level of cushioning compared to some other counterparts (like soft foam pads). However, they may not be as firm, and some don’t enjoy the thickness of the material, which provides a different experience from air-filled versions.

Who Can Benefit from Using Wheelchair Seat Pads?

Many people can benefit from using gel seat pads. Even if a user is not disabled, having a gel pad for chairs, office chairs, or even wheelchairs can help the user gain all of the benefits that these products provide. Fortunately, wheelchair gel seat pads are often transportable, so they can be taken and used just about anywhere. Although they are applicable for use by anyone, they are most commonly used by elderly and handicapped people.

How Much Do Wheelchair Seat Pads Cost? Are They Expensive?

Wheelchair pads can vary greatly in price, and some can test the financial limits of many people. AvaCare Medical takes pride in providing the best quality chair pads for reasonable prices, and all of our items are manufacturer tested and approved to be of the utmost in quality and contain only high-grade materials. Many of them even come with a warranty.

There is a good reason why gel chair pads and cushions tend to be expensive. Just like any other medical wheelchair pad, they have to be tested using extreme measures that can cost millions to ensure that they satisfy federal and government guidelines. This allows people to know they are getting the best of the best when it comes to medical equipment.

Fortunately, there are affordable options. Different kinds of gel pads are different prices. The more material that goes into them, the higher the price. Bariatric foam and gel hybrids may cost more than the typical foam or even gel pad cushion for chairs. The reason for this is because of the combination of materials needed to provide exceptional support for users of heavier weights.

How to Choose the Right Wheelchair Seat Pad

Just like when using any other wheelchair cushion, users need to know how to select the right pad. Two primary factors remain central to this decision: the wheelchair seat width and depth. It also depends on how thick the user desires the gel pad to be. Other options, like cushion cover material, can increase the cost at times, but usually by a slight amount. Either way though, it is important to assess what your needs are in order to decide what kind of gel seat pad should be purchased.

If ever any problems or questions arise when it comes to choosing the right wheelchair seat pads, we’re here to help! Our AvaCare Medical customer care team is here to answer your calls or chat with you live during business hours. We can also be reached via email anytime of the day!