What is wheelchair bench width?
The bench amplitude of a wheelchair is about advised the amplitude of the bench upholstery. Back a wheelchair is referred to as a 18" wheelchair it agency the amplitude of the bench upholstery is 18" wide.
Why is wheelchair bench amplitude important?
Having the actual bench amplitude on a wheelchair is important for both abundance and function. Having the actual amplitude of wheelchair is added important for users who absorb best hours in the wheelchair. Too attenuated a amplitude will account the accoutrements of the wheelchair to put burden on the alfresco of the achievement and thighs and could potentially account burden sores.
Too advanced a amplitude on a wheelchair will accomplish it difficult for the user to ability the duke rims to actuate the wheelchair and additionally anticipate the wheelchair from actuality able to action in baby spaces.
Common wheelchair bench widths:
Standard widths for wheelchairs are 16" (narrow adult), 18" (standard adult) and 20" (wide adult). Smaller widths as attenuated as 8" are accessible for accouchement or absolutely baby adults and added bench widths up to 28" and above are accessible for added adults.
Although 2" increments accept consistently been the accepted for widths of wheelchairs, best custom-built wheelchairs are accessible in 1" increments so it is accessible to adjustment chairs in odd sized bench widths.
Determining the actual wheelchair bench width:
Originally the aphorism of deride adjustment of free the actual bench amplitude was to add 2" to the abstinent amplitude of the user back built-in at their widest point (usually the hips). The ambition was to acquiesce abundant allowance for the user to sit calmly while cutting a winter coat.
Wheelchair users today usually abrasion jackets or abbreviate coats that don't charge much, if any, added bench width.
The aboriginal footfall in free the amplitude bare is to accept the user sit commonly on a solid apparent and admeasurement their amplitude beyond the widest allotment of their lap which is commonly the hips. Usually application a criterion is a more good best than a barometer band because there is a addiction to blanket the barometer band about the user from hip to hip which gives too ample a measurement.
Once the amplitude altitude of the user is accepted it is adequately accessible to adjudge on the amplitude of wheelchair bare with a few considerations:
Removable accoutrements on a wheelchair are army alfresco the bench anatomy so the bench amplitude can be around the aforementioned as the amplitude of the user.
Some basement accessories such as hip guides, adductors or abductors may crave added amplitude to the wheelchair seat.