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Wheelchair accessories are often overlooked. People often think just because you have a wheelchair, you don’t need any other gear to make mobility any easier.
Have you ever wondered what accessory or equipment would make living in a wheelchair a lot easier?
Top 10 Wheelchair Accessories For Enhanced Mobility
Most wheelchair users and caregivers know that wheelchair accessories can make a tremendous difference in the functionality and comfort of any wheelchair user.
Although these accessories don’t guarantee complete independence; however, they ensure that mobility is easier and more convenient.
There are several gears and equipment out there that you can use to enjoy more independence as a wheelchair user. But we’ve selected our top 10 best mobility gear for wheelchair users in 2024 and beyond.
In this article, I’m going to show you a detailed list of wheelchair equipment and accessories that could make life in a wheelchair easier than you think.
These are the best wheelchair aids and accessories that can help you get around more easily.
Most wheelchairs do not come with enough storage spaces to carry everyday items like your wallet, laptop, books, documents, or launch. This could limit your mobility and lead to constant frustration, especially if you use a manual wheelchair.
For anyone in this situation, a quick fix would be to get an attachable personal organizer or wheelchair-adapted backpack. You can attach a wheelchair bag to the back or sides of the wheelchair.
This allows you to store and transport personal items and other stuff.
With your stuff safely packed in your bag, you can do the tasks that need to be done and achieve your goals with ease.
When attached to your wheelchair, you can safely store your smartphone, laptop, books, sunglasses, wallet, and other personal items while on the go.
Wheelchair bags are perfect for both lightweight and heavy-duty wheelchairsbecause they don’t affect the general weight of the wheelchair itself.
Wheelchair ramps are one of the best mobility gadgets for wheelchair users.
This accessibility equipment allows not just wheelchair users but also elderly and injured persons to get to ascend or descend from a platform without using the stairs.
A wheelchair ramp or access ramp can make everyday tasks such as getting into your car or going to the mailbox much easier for people with disabilities.
While ramps come in different shapes and forms, wheelchair users need to have one. This smart mobility equipment can help any wheelchair user become more independent and navigate around raised platforms easier and faster.
Ramps are essential parts of any wheelchair user’s life and should be chosen carefully to ensure that they provide comfort, support, and safety.
Would you like to have the option to have your door open and close automatically when you arrive or exit your home?
That sounds good, right? Of course, it does.
No matter how wide a doorway is, opening and closing doors come with a lot of hassle for a wheelchair user.
One of the best ways to improve your mobility as a wheelchair user is by installing door sensors on your doors; not just to enhance but improve the overall accessibility in your home or office.
These sensors feature an integrated wireless network that allows them to communicate with your house door control system. This gives you the ability to open and close the doors remotely, with perfect accuracy, down to the half-inch.
With door sensors and remotes, the hurdles of opening and closing a door from your wheelchair can be surmounted.
When you have these accessories installed on your wheelchair, you will no longer have to go through the exhausting process of opening and closing doors from your wheelchair.
Even if you can’t install a door opener on the doors in your homes, it is not a bad idea to have them installed on the entrance doors for your homes and office.
4. Platform Lifts
Are you looking for a way to get around? Look no further than a platform lift.
If you feel like a ramp will ruin your porch decor, then a lift is the perfect option for you. Indoor elevators, stairs, and porch lifts are the best accessories for wheelchair users that live in big houses.
This mobility equipment can assist those who have mobility issues get to areas or places that they can’t reach.
For a wheelchair user, staircases and raised thresholds are hindrances they never want to encounter. If a path contains a lot of staircases, one of the best ways to overcome this obstacle is a platform lift.
You can also install one in your car; this would make getting in and out with your wheelchair a lot easier.
With a lift, you can easily move from one corner of your home to the other without any stress. You can use this accessibility equipment to get around your home faster and avoid the stress of carrying a portable ramp everywhere you go.
A good pair of gloves can make all the difference in using a chair for mobility or leisure. It may not seem like much but for a manual wheelchair user, this accessory is a lifesaver.
Let’s face the truth, electric wheelchairs are super expensive and manual wheelchairs take a lot of energy and upper body strength to operate. With your hands severing as the engine to your manual wheelchair, you face the risks of injuries, splinters, skin irritation, blisters, and soreness.
A fully padded wheelchair glove can prevent such occurrences.
A pair of wheelchair gloves is the apparent difference between mobility and turmoil. Although you still have to depend on your hands for motility, the gloves will cushion the effect of the constant friction make by rubbing your palms against the wheels of your chair.
When buying a wheelchair glove, make sure that you get one that lets your fingers stick out a little while your hands are protected. With your fingers exposed, you can have the gloves on and perform other day-to-day tasks with no discomfort.
There are many items on a wheelchair user’s wishlist; only a few products truly meet their needs for mobility and quality. Wheelchair Cup Holders offer the best combination of comfort, functionality, and price.
Wheelchair Cup holders are made of heavy-duty plastic and designed to fit into wheelchairs of all sizes and hold items of different sizes and weights.
These appliances usually have an adjustable grip that you can remain seated in your chair without having to raise or lower the cup.
Having a cup holder attached to your wheelchair may not seem like an important wheelchair accessory but it is.
You’ll never truly understand how important a cup holder is until you are in a where you need both hands to complete a task, but there’s no one to hold your drink and free surface to place it on.
It’s cool to multitask even as a wheelchair user, but you know what is cooler? Not having cold juice dripping down your pants.
A cup holder can help you hold your drink while you focus on other tasks.
Cup holders are one of the most important gadgets for wheelchair users that can multitask. This way, you have a cup of iced tea or sweetened coffee nearby when you are feeling a little thirsty.
A Swivel cushion is a comfortable rotating disc that allows wheelchair users to transfer in and out of their chairs easily by decreasing friction.
This badass mobility accessory reduces the issues of twisting and stretching when transferring in or out of the chair.
It is the perfect gear for people with limited mobility and flexibility. With a swivel cushion, you can improve comfort and decrease the risk of injury when entering or exiting your chair.
Swivel cushions do not only rotate, but they can also revolve 360-degrees while the chair is locked in place, allowing the user to turn their body freely in any direction of their choice.
Swivel Cushions are one of the very best mobility gear for wheelchair users with paraplegia or quadriplegia. This mobility gear allows the user to turn around easily by reducing friction.
If you have a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, then you should install a swivel cushion in your car. This wheelchair-adapted gear makes it so much easier to enter and exit your car from your wheelchair.
These powerful cushions are usually made of a super durable polyester cover and cotton cushions. The polyester cover prevents the cushion from absorbing moisture while the cotton interior disperses body heat to ensure optimum comfort.
Safe to say that a swivel cushion stands as one of the most recommended mobility equipment for wheelchair users.
Looking for an efficient way to work from your wheelchair even when you are not at the office or have access to an office table? Wheelchair work trays are one way to create a convenient surface for you to work on.
Most wheelchairs are big and won’t fit in an office table, finding a decent working table that will fit your wheelchair can be tricky. With a wheelchair work tray, you have a completely accessible surface for both work and leisure.
This mobility equipment an extra level of comfort and independence that cannot be obtained using a fixed surface.
Aside from providing a sturdy surface for working, eating, reading, and resting your arms, wheelchair trays are flexible gears that can carry around your tools, supplies, and other equipment so that you have everything at hand when you need it.
A wheelchair tray provides you with an accessible surface that you can use to operate your laptop, read a book, knit a sweater, or sketch a portrait.
Wheelchair trays are one of the most essential accessories for wheelchair users.
A seat cushion and swivel cushion are two different equipment. Seat cushions ensure that the user maintains posture and comfort over extended wheelchair use.
While swivel cushions allow people with mobility issues to comfortably exit and enter their wheelchair without putting too much pressure on their back.
Although wheelchair cushions have very little impact on the mobility of the user, it plays a very important role in improving the overall comfort of the user.
Staying seated in a wheelchair over an extended period can lead to a wide range of health complications like back pain, pressure sores, decubitus ulcers, skin ulcers, and even poor blood circulation around the hip.
Wheelchair seat cushions are special equipment that provides padding between the user and the wheelchair. This mobility gear absorbs all the pressure from the user and distributes them evenly across the chair.
This improves the posture & comfort of the person seated in the wheelchair. Besides, your mobility will be very restricted if you are not comfortable. This makes wheelchair cushions one of the most essential pieces of equipment for wheelchair users.
Push bars are one of the best wheelchair accessories for caregivers. This simplistic equipment makes it easier for caregivers to push and control a manual wheelchair.
Wheelchair push bars are control devices for wheelchairs that provide a stable push surface for a wheelchair. This ergonomic wheelchair add-on allows caregivers and relatives to gain extra control of the wheelchair.
With a wheelchair push bar, you can push the wheelchair using only one hand, reduces the effort needed to control the wheelchair on smooth and rugged terrains, and even adjust the position of the bar for any size.
The push bars also can be used as a support framework for pushing a person’s wheelchair, a resting surface for the person pushing the wheelchair.
Today’s mobility push bars provide caregivers with optimum comfort and control while pushing a wheelchair.
To maximize your comfort and safety in your wheelchair, consider using push bars on all or certain occasions depending on your needs.
You don’t need any special tool to install a push bar on your wheelchair. You can easily attach it to any wheelchair and detach it for storage any time you feel like it.
Most push bars are made of aluminum and can support a weight of up to 250 pounds. It is very versatile and can fit into any wheelchair.
Wheelchairs are fairly basic devices, but these are some of the accessories that can make life in a wheelchair a lot easier. They provide extra independence to disabled or elderly people who can’t stand, walk or sit on their own.
Having the right mobility accessories for your wheelchair is very important because this equipment makes your life easier by improving the functionality and ensure comfort when maneuvering your wheelchair.
Wheelchaired is a proud member of the United Spinal Association and a disability blog dedicated to sharing guides and advice on issues concerning disability, mobility, accessible travel, and personal development.
