Seat Depth 1
Measure from the most posterior point of the body to the
inside of the knee, minus at least two inches. Some prefer
more leg overhang to make room for their hand when lifting
their leg.
Back Height 2
Measured from the seat base to the top of the wheelchair
back. Depends on how much upper back support is needed,
and also affects freedom for the upper body to rotate.
Rear Seat to Floor 3
Measurement from the ground to the rear seat edge.
Relative to the front seat-to-floor dimension, this
determines the rearward slope ("dump" or "squeeze") of the
wheelchair seat.
Hanger Angle 4
Determines how far the toes extend away from the body,
measured from the horizontal. A tighter angle allows the
wheelchair to turn around in less space. Depends in part
on ability of the knee to bend towards the perpendicular.
Seat Width 5
Determined by the widest point of the body from knee to
hip, plus an inch to ensure room to move. Consider bulk of
clothing, particularly a heavy winter coat, if relevant.
Wheel Camber 6
Angle of the wheel relative to the vertical. More camber
improves stability and agility, but also limits ability to
pass through narrow spaces. A typical daily wheelchair
uses three degrees of camber.
Front Seat to Floor 7
Measure the leg from the back of the knee to the sole of
the foot. Then subtract the thickness of the cushion when
it is compressed. Next, add a minimum of two inches for
footrest clearance. Do not add the footrest clearance if
the wheelchair will be foot-propelled.
Footrest Width 8
Measure from the inside of each legrest tubing the
distance or desired distance between legrests.
Center of Gravity 9
Measure from the front of the seat back post to the center
of the rear axel.
Seat to Footrest Length 10
Measure from the edge of the seat upholstery to the top
rear of the footrest.
Backrest Angle 11
Measure the the angle of the back post to the floor.
Ninety degrees will be perpendicular to the floor, to
approximate the angle from the back post to the seat,
subtract two degrees from measurement for every .5" of
dump. |
