Skip to content
Menu
  • English Selected
  • Français

 

Header secondary

  • Sign up for eNews
  • Donate

Header

  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Our Programs
    • Leadership Team
    • Board Members and Committees
    • Donors
    • Annual Reports
    • 2021-23 Strategic Plan
    • FAQ
    • Work With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Champion's Circle
    Hero
    Passionate about accessibility? We need your help
    Get Involved
  • About Rick
    • About Rick
    • Rick's Story
    • Man In Motion World Tour
      • Man In Motion World Tour
      • The Dream
      • Tour Timeline
      • Tour Gallery
      • Tour Team
      • 35th Anniversary
    • Rick’s Work and Vision
    • A Conversation with Rick
    • Awards & Honours
    Hero
    Passionate about accessibility? We need your help
    Get Involved
  • Get Involved
    • Get Involved
    • Donate
    • Legacy Giving
    • Fundraise
    • Help make Canada accessible
    • Everyone Everywhere
    • National AccessAbility Week
    Hero
    Passionate about accessibility? We need your help
    Get Involved
  • Become Accessible
    • Become Accessible
    • Rating & Certification 
      • Rating & Certification 
      • Rating Request Form
      • RHFAC FAQ
      • RHFAC v3.0
    • Accessibility Training and Education
      • Professional Training
      • Accessibility Training and Education
      • Tuition Grants
    • APN 2023 Conference
    • Accessibility Resources
    • Accessibility Professional Network
      • Accessibility Professional Network
      • FAQ: Accessibility Professional Network
      • Login
      • RHFAC Professional Directory
    • Post an Accessibility Job
    • Accessibility Advisory Services
    • Buildings Without Barriers Challenge
    • Leaders in Accessibility
    • 2022 B.C. Accessibility Grants
    Hero
    Passionate about accessibility? We need your help
    Get Involved
  • Schools & Communities
    • Schools and Communities
    • Create an Inclusive School Year
      • Start with Awareness
      • Concentrate on Kindness 
      • Boldly Take Action
    • Resource Library
    • Ambassador Presentations
      • Ambassador Presentations
      • Book a Presentation
      • About Our Ambassadors
    • Difference Maker Awards
      • Difference Maker Awards
      • Difference Maker Winners
    • Supplementary Resources
    • Our Partners
    Hero
    Passionate about accessibility? We need your help
    Get Involved
  • News & Stories
    • News & Stories
    • Blog
    • Media Centre
    • Newsletter
    • Disability Reports
    Hero
    Passionate about accessibility? We need your help
    Get Involved
  • Search

Breadcrumb

  1. Rick Hansen Foundation
  2. News & Stories
  3. Blog
  4. Currently selected A wheelchair for every occasion
Icons of spaces and activities accessible for people with disabilties

A wheelchair for every occasion

Bucky By Bucky On June 26, 2015 RHF News

Everyone knows about cars. For the city, a regular sedan is appropriate, but people may opt for all-terrain vehicles to go camping or into the woods.

Similarly, different types of activities demand different kinds of wheelchairs. What is different about them?

 

Why different wheelchairs?

Before performing an activity, it is important to consider two things: whether the wheelchair can perform the activity and whether it can perform that activity safely.

This idea is similar to cars. A sedan is not typically used for rugged terrain because it may not be strong enough and could get stuck in dirt.

So what kinds of activity-specific wheelchairs are there?

 

Sports wheelchairs


Above image: Wheelchair basketball in action. The cambered rear wheels help prevent tipping and add stability. (Photo credit: US Navy.)

This is perhaps the most well known among activity-specific wheelchairs. While sports may vary and require different types of sports wheelchairs, they all contain many common features.

One thing that people notice almost immediately is the camber of the rear wheels. ("Camber" refers to the angle at which the wheels are aligned.) Rather than being perpendicular to the ground, sports wheelchairs' rear wheels slant outwards.

The reason for this slant is to increase stability. If you imagine a car turning quickly, it has the potential to tip over. The same applies for wheelchairs; this camber increases the chair's grip on the ground and lowers the chances of tipping.

Sports wheelchairs also often contain a back wheel, behind the backrest. This provides protection against flipping backwards, especially when accelerating quickly.

Some sports that involve contact, such as wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby, may also have bumpers at the front to protect feet and toes.

 

Racing wheelchairs

Above image: A racing wheelchair in action. (Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons.)

While racing wheelchairs have camber like other sports wheelchairs, they also have a single large front wheel. This helps with forward momentum of the chair.

As well, there is no back wheel to prevent flipping, since one must lean forward to push the chair anyhow. There may also be a special seat to help with efficiency.

The shape of racing wheelchairs also helps with wind resistance, making the racer more aerodynamic.

 

Beach wheelchairs

Above image: A beach wheelchair, with larger and thicker wheels to work on sand. (Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons.)

Wheels and sand often do not go together. That is why it is rare to see bicycles on sandy beaches. Similarly, wheelchairs often have trouble as well.

This prevents many people who rely on wheelchairs from enjoying the beach like everyone else.

Luckily, beach wheelchairs exist. They are usually made of plastic piping and have large wheels that can handle sand; they can also withstand water and uneven terrain.

The downside is that many beaches do not carry them yet due to cost, and they often require assistance to use.

If you are interested in renting a beach wheelchair in your area, we recommend checking out your city’s municipal website to find out if they are offered.

 

Airplane wheelchairs

Above image: An airplane wheelchair that is narrow enough to fit through aisles on board. (Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons.)

For people who cannot walk, airplane wheelchairs (also called "Washington chairs") are used due to their narrow shapes that can fit between aisles on board.

These require the assistance of airplane staff. They work by having the user transfer on to the chair, before being strapped down by safety belts.

Staff then proceed to pull the user backwards on to the plane until they reach one of the seats on board, where a final transfer is carried out.

 

Hand cycles

Above image: A hand cycle in action. (Photo credit: US Department of Defense.)

As the name suggests, hand cycles are the hand-propelled equivalent of bicycles. They operate by pushing the handlebars, which work and move very similarly to foot pedals of a bicycle.

The only differences are that hand cycles are often three-wheeled like tricycles, and there are foot rests where pedals would normally be.

They can also be lower to the ground, though some are about the same height as normal wheelchairs.

 

What does the future hold?

Just like different muscles are activated for different tasks, different wheelchairs are used for all kinds of activities as well. As technology improves, so will the existing types of wheelchairs – and perhaps more types of them will arise.

The evolution of wheelchairs will depend on three main factors: the motivation of those who want to improve them, the skills of those who can build them, and the passion from those who use them so that we continue to see improvements and innovations.

The wheelchair is a liberating tool – the more types of chairs we see, the more liberating everything will become for those who use them.

Related articles

Zoom screenshot of four panelists, one moderator and an ASL interpreter. The background is blue and there is a white Rick Hansen Foundation logo in the bottom right corner.
The Power of Inclusive Allyship – A Recap
Youth panelists and moderator on Zoom. They are laughing. There are three screens on top and two on the bottom. The Rick Hansen Foundation School Program logo is in the bottom right corner.
Youth Exchange: Disability and Social Justice – A Recap
Rick Hansen Foundation Fall 2022 Newsletter
Zoom screenshot of six people with varying abilities. For people are panellists, one is the moderator and one is an ASL interpreter.
The Power of Inclusive Workplaces – A Recap
Thumbnail

About the Author

Arnold, also known as "Bucky," is the Production Assistant for the Rick Hansen Foundation. He is also a wheelchair basketball player and former middle school instructor.

Back to top

Next Story

7 Questions with Misa On Wheels
Guest Blogger By Guest Blogger
Read More

Stay in Touch

Receive Foundation emails to stay up-to-date on our impact and programs.

Contact Us

1-800-213-2131
info@rickhansen.com

Rick Hansen Foundation
300-3820 Cessna Drive
Richmond, BC
Canada V7B 0A2

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linkedin
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
Imagine Canada

The Standards Program Trustmark is a mark of Imagine Canada used under license by the Rick Hansen Foundation.

About Us - EN

  • About Us
  • Our Programs
  • Leadership Team
  • Board Members and Committees
  • Donors
  • Annual Reports
  • 2021-23 Strategic Plan
  • FAQ
  • Work With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Champion's Circle

About Rick - EN

  • About Rick
  • Rick's Story
  • Man In Motion World Tour
    • Man In Motion World Tour
    • The Dream
    • Tour Timeline
    • Tour Gallery
    • Tour Team
    • 35th Anniversary
  • Rick’s Work and Vision
  • A Conversation with Rick
  • Awards & Honours

Get Involved - EN

  • Get Involved
  • Donate
  • Legacy Giving
  • Fundraise
  • Help make Canada accessible
  • Everyone Everywhere
  • National AccessAbility Week

Become Accessible - EN

  • Become Accessible
  • Rating & Certification 
    • Rating & Certification 
    • Rating Request Form
    • RHFAC FAQ
    • RHFAC v3.0
  • Accessibility Training and Education
    • Professional Training
    • Accessibility Training and Education
    • Tuition Grants
  • APN 2023 Conference
  • Accessibility Resources
  • Accessibility Professional Network
    • Accessibility Professional Network
    • FAQ: Accessibility Professional Network
    • Login
    • RHFAC Professional Directory
  • Post an Accessibility Job
  • Accessibility Advisory Services
  • Buildings Without Barriers Challenge
  • Leaders in Accessibility
  • 2022 B.C. Accessibility Grants

Schools & Communities - EN

  • Schools and Communities
  • Create an Inclusive School Year
    • Start with Awareness
    • Concentrate on Kindness 
    • Boldly Take Action
  • Resource Library
  • Ambassador Presentations
    • Ambassador Presentations
    • Book a Presentation
    • About Our Ambassadors
  • Difference Maker Awards
    • Difference Maker Awards
    • Difference Maker Winners
  • Supplementary Resources
  • Our Partners

News & Stories - EN

  • News & Stories
  • Blog
  • Media Centre
  • Newsletter
  • Disability Reports

Legal

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Ethical Reporting Policy
  • Complaints Policy
  • Imagine Canada Certification
  • Accessibility Commitment
  • Diversity and Inclusion
Imagine Canada

The Standards Program Trustmark is a mark of Imagine Canada used under license by the Rick Hansen Foundation.

Charitable Registration Number: 10765 9427 RR 0001 © 2023 Rick Hansen Foundation. All Rights Reserved.

Back to Top
Hero

Our programs and initiatives work to create an accessible and inclusive world where people with disabilities can live to their full potential. 

Learn more
Hero

When Rick set out to wheel around the world in 1985, he had three missions: to raise awareness about the potential of people with disabilities, create accessible and inclusive communities, and find a cure.

Read more
Hero

Receive updates from RHF on the impact we’re making for people with disabilities across Canada.

Subscribe
Hero

Have your site rated and certified for meaningful access for people with physical disabilities. Make your community more welcoming and inclusive for all!

Get Started
Hero

Receive free educational resources that teach youth about the importance of access and inclusion.  

Learn more
Hero

Browse the latest stories about access and inclusion from Rick and our team of bloggers. 

Read our Blog