Talk:Wheelchair

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This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the Wheelchair article.
Article policies

There has been a problem with links from this article to web sites selling wheelchairs. This is a distasteful attempt to profit from a combination of generosity and disability.

Contents

[edit] Folding vs Rigid

This is an absolutely incorrect statement: "Almost all manual wheelchairs can be folded for storage or placement into a vehicle." In fact, many active wheelchairs are rigid or non-folding. Rigid wheelchairs have many advantages over folding wheelchairs and this should be detailed here. This article and in particular, the section on manual wheelchairs needs improvement.

[edit] History ?

Looking through this article I find absolutely nothing on the history of the device, when it began being used. Surely this information is around somewhere ...

I agree. (Lord Vader 20:45, 25 July 2006 (UTC))

History of the wheelchair: http://www.newdisability.com/functionalitytoindivid.htm

[edit] Cleanup

The article needs work to improve flow and style. When I have some time I'll work on it, in the mean time the note should stay in case someone else can do it. Exploding Boy 02:04, July 22, 2005 (UTC)

Also, try to avoid debatable artifcats like "Rascal is a leading manufacturer"...qualify this! I'd say there are a good 10 manufacturers of scooters that "lead" more than Rascal (Pride, for example). Having said that, mention of manufacturers probably doesn't belong in an encylopedia article anyway--keep in mind this is an encyclopedia...keep writing technical and on task.

[edit] Stair climbing?

I came here to find some info on the stair climbing wheelchair I keep seeing on TV but it doesn't even mention it.

Well it probably should, as they could make "adaptions of the built eviroment to wheelchairs" a thing of the past. I don't know that they will make low-floor busses, trolleybusses and trams obsolete due to their advantages for even able-bodied people.

Yes, this should probably include a reference to the iBOT which can "walk" up and down stairs. There are also attachments that can be fitted to "normal" wheelchairs to facilitate stair climbing which may be of interest; I would have to look up references. It may also be worthwhile commenting that the risk management aspect of stair climbing is challenging: electrically operated devices like wheelchair controllers may have to shut down quickly due to various reasons, e.g., excessive temperature in the control electronics. While a shut-down is normally not problematic for a wheelchair on level ground, it would be catastrophic on stairs. --Hwalle 22:21, 19 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Wheelchairs in Books

There should be something about how any children's book, television show, or schoolbook has at least one disabled person in a wheelchair. Lol there's always a hugely disproportionate number of wheelchair people in children's media when compared to real life. I can see having people of different races in such things to promote equality, but is it really necessary to include a disabled person? Do people really treat disabled people as second-class citizens? Maybe the government is trying to get kids ready for a polio epidemic or something.

Do people really treat us as second class citizens? 1) My wife is not allowed to go above ground floor level in her place of work as she is a "fire risk" 2) My wife and myself are unable to go on buses together as there is only room for one wheelchair user on a bus. 3) People frequently talk to my able bodied friends and ignore me when they are talking about me or asking questions such as "does he take sugar in his coffee". 4) The laughing stock that is the disability discrimination act is almost totally ignored by many shops, services etc.

You decide.

[edit] Developing world wheelchairs

This site was just added to the Appropriate technology article:[Whirlwind Wheelchair International].

This looks excellent to me, and I'd like to see an article or section/subsection on wheelchairs of this type. Probably an article so it can be placed in the Appropriate technology category. As I know nothing about wheelchairs, perhaps someone could suggest a general name for this kind of wheelchair so we can use it as a title; also point out other info on this.

I'm happy to work on the article but if someone beats me to it I won't complain :) --Singkong2005 04:56, 3 February 2006 (UTC)

I will start the article at Whirlwind wheelchair. It will just be a stub for now. --Singkong2005 03:47, 27 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Manual vs. powered, and users

I'll add this to my own list of "things to clean up when I have time". Things seem a bit slanted towards the manual user and spinal injuries; we have little mention of temporary wheelchair users, no mention of Mobility_scooters or comparison versus powerchairs, and no mention of standing frames, stair- or curb-climbing wheelchairs, or other fancy new technologies in development. There's no link to the iBOT article. The Buildings section doesn't cover ramps, handrails, powered doors, or portable ramps.

I'm also not sure if Wheelchair should be listed under Human powered vehicles if it includes powerchairs and scooters? Should powerchairs have their own entry?

Feyandstrange 05:28, 23 April 2006 (UTC)


[edit] Electrically Powered Wheelchairs

There are some technical points that should be tidied up here: while "Power chairs" is a very commonly used term, there is a standard (ISO?) stating that the technical term for these vehicles is "Electrically Powered Wheelchairs" (EPW).

Regarding batteries, the article here reads "Power chairs use electric motors to move the wheels. They are usually powered by 4 or 5 amp deep-cycle rechargeable batteries, similar to those used to power outboard boat engines. These are available in wet or dry options; currently dry cell batteries are more popular[citation needed]." This is not very accurate: there are power chairs using a combustion engine; the batteries on EPWs are not "4 or 5 amp", but rather in the range of 40 to 50 Ah (Ampere-hours) capacity; normally two 12-volt batteries are connected in series to form a 24-volt system. The reference to outboard boat engines does not make too much sense, as most outboard engines are using a combustion engine, a more common application of the same type of batteries would be electric forklifts. These batteries are called traction batteries, as opposed to SLI (starting, light, ignition) batteries used in cars to start the combustion engine. The technical difference is that traction batteries can be deep-cycled without damaging them, which SLI batteries can not, while SLI batteries can deliver higher currents at the same battery size. Today, the batteries used on wheelchairs are almost exclusively sealed lead-acid (SLA) batteries; these are also sometimes called valve-regulated lead-acid batteries (VRLA). --Hwalle 22:38, 19 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Sport wheelchairs

Ok, I decided to shift a few items around in this article, and to add a section for sport wheelchairs. There is a big difference between a racing wheelchair and and electric wheelchair, I cannot understand why they were both under the same heading.

That example pic is a racing chair from the early 80's. It looks dated and frankly gimpy. You should check online sources for a more up to date picture, manufacturers (Quickie, Top End, Eagle, etc.) or on line sales such as sportaid.com. Same with the pic of the everyday chair. That one is directly embarrassing. The chair has changed so much since the 1950's style hospital chair you have in the image. I'm begging you, please change that one ! ;-)

Tre T

GastelEtzwane 21:15, 15 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Blow-driven wheelchairs

How do you call wheelchairs that drive by blowing in a tube (as seen on Terms of Endearment (Drawn Together episode)) and how do they work? --Abdull 09:44, 16 May 2006 (UTC)

This is an alternative drive mechanism frequently called Sip N Puff. --Sthayashi 07:46, 26 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Wheelchair Bound?

I hate this term, and stumbled upon it in a number of articles today. Then went on a one-man-crusade to rid wikipedia of it. I notice this article makes no mention of it - is there concensus to remove it from other articles? Disablity groups prefer terms like "wheelchair user" and "wheelchair enabled". (The second of which seems a tad over the top, but "wheelchair user" seems to hit it right on target.) Comments? Photomikey 23:31, 20 May 2006 (UTC)

As a wheelchair user myself I entirely agree. I am not "bound" to my wheelchair, I get out of it to go to the loo, go to bed, have sex........(actually you know, there is a case for binding to a wheelchair whilst having sex, but thats a story you dont wanna hear!!) Jcuk 15:06, 15 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] New section - advanced technology

Added some information about HiTech weelchairs such as the balancing iBot that can also climb stairs and go over rugged terrain PLEASE EXPAND WITH FURTHER INFORMATION

[edit] More cleanups

Cleaned up style, language, flow and so forth, made some additions, and removed most if not all mentions of specific manufacturers. Also finally linked to scooters.

Please note that that [IBOT](the 'stair clinbing wheelchair' lots of people are looking for) and [mobility scooter]s have their own pages.

Feyandstrange 04:30, 16 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Flow and Style

I'm with you on most of this comment, but your idea that power chair (2 words not one) is some how less "correct" that powered wheelchair is wrong, at least as far as my (American) experience. The one you don't want is electric wheelchair, which sounds like mobile execution. "Powered" from a writer's perspective is faulty 1. because it is passive and 2. it begs the question, "powered by what?" Power is much more descriptive and less gimpy, in my opinion.

T Trefethen

I've got to say, I've been keeping my eye on this article for more than a year and it is just going nowhere. There is absolutely no flow to the article whatsoever. How about a history, discussion about the design and evolution, components, etc, up to today's world of "high tech" powered wheelchairs. I shutter when I see the word "powerchair". The term is "powered wheelchair", let's refrain from the slang...it feels like any moment that man with the southern accent is going to come on TV at 2:00am and tell me he'll work hard to get me a "paworchair". Ugh! Having said all this, I could and am willing to rework the thing, but know I'd just get 100 reverts and ticked off contributors with egos yelling "Don't take my section about the iBot away!". This is not an informative encyclopedia article, but a hodge podge of random bits and near-facts here and there. Why would we mention one brand from one manufacturer (iBot) and not the other dozens of wheelchair manufacturers out there? If you're going to mention iBot then you've got to start listing Invacare TorqueSP, Invacare TDX3, Invacare Pronto M71, Permobil C300, Jazzy 600, Quickie Zippie TS, I mean we could be here for years. There is actually a whole section at the beginning of the article devoted to "stairs"??? Are you kidding me? Should the first section not be "what is a wheelchair" or "history of the wheelchair"? We've got to focus on terminology here too, people...it's a pneumatic interface, not "that kind of wheelchair you blow into". Yikes. So many things to clean up, so little time. And before the backlash comes...read the disclaimer on the bottom of every Wiki page...If you don't want your writing to be edited mercilessly or redistributed by others, do not submit it. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 67.186.55.246 (talk • contribs) 00:17, June 21, 2006 (UTC)

Well, I'm no expert but the IBOT is something really special compared to the others

[edit] Ugh Again.

...and this quote from the article...

"The high end of the market contains ultra-light models, fancy seatig options and accessories, all-terrain features, and so forth, but most insurance providers (including Medicare) will not fund these more advanced models."

I mean, yuk! "Fancy Seating"? Define that for me. I'd like to order me some fancy seating for my fancy wheelchair. Maybe I'll get me a new-fangled titanium chair like them there sports guys. I am yet to see fancy seating on a wheelchair. Complicated seating...involved seating...supportive seating...even custom seating, but fancy, no.

And then the worst of all blunders... MOST INSURANCE PROVIDERS WILL NOT FUND THESE ADVANCED MODELS. Spoken like a true 3rd rate medical equipment provider with absolutely no clue how to process a wheelchair claim through a funding source...and I GUARANTEE that is who wrote this. This is the guy that sits next to me at a conference and keeps asking if "Medicare pays for...." Study a local medical policy article from your DMERC once in a while. Furthermore, the statement is as false as it gets and should be completely removed from the article for two reasons...1) Medicare policy has no place in an encyclopedia article about wheelchairs. Why don't we include MDA's medical equipment loaner policies? How about Blue Cross's supplemental policy as it relates to crutch holders? Seriously. and 2) Medicare, and every other funding source I've ever seen certainly does "fund advanced models", so long as the advancedness, for lack of a better term, can be medically justified.

I'm done. Let me have it. --unsigned comment added by User: 67.186.55.246

Feel free to improve the article to your heart's content. Exploding Boy 01:17, 21 June 2006 (UTC)


[edit] Repeated Vandalism of this and other disability related pages

Is there anything we can do about the idiot(s) who keep putting an external link to one company and putting various stub things on here? Jcuk 19:41, 26 February 2007 (UTC)

We can request that this page be semi-protected, (WP:RFP), which will prevent anonymous users and newly created accounts from editing the page. I haven't made that sort of request before, but I'll submit it soon. - Justin (Authalic) 19:58, 26 February 2007 (UTC)
Update: I submitted a request, but it was denied: "There is not enough recent activity to justify protection at this time. Just watchlist and revert." - Justin (Authalic) 20:09, 26 February 2007 (UTC)


[edit] And more repeated Vandalism of this and other disability related pages

Just reverted more vandalism, though this time by what I presume was a teenager. For the record :( Altairah 08:28, 3 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Controversies

Hi, I didn't see any section about the concerns of the handicapped, think that would be necessary to fit full article needs.--Andersmusician $ 04:03, 17 June 2007 (UTC)

  • Of the Handicapped what? Lifts? Chairs? Tables?? OHHH!! You mean disabled people!!

[edit] Suggest splitting/forking articles on Manual Wheelchairs and Electrically Powered Wheelchairs

There is certainly enough information out there to warrant giving these two topics their own wikipedia article, and there may even be enough content as is for their own articles. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sthayashi (talk • contribs) 07:27, 26 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Merge with Wheelchair (hydrogen)

The Wheelchair (hydrogen) article does not present sufficient information to stand on its own. As it is a subset of wheelchairs, it should be merged into this article. Neelix (talk) 14:53, 1 June 2008 (UTC)

Argument supported Gregorydavid (talk) 15:14, 1 June 2008 (UTC)
Oppose, the article is waiting for the outcome from the Hychain mini-trans project, in that sense its more importantant for the hydrogen section than for wheelchairs in general. Mion (talk) 18:48, 1 June 2008 (UTC)