The benefits of having a folding wheelchair can be noticed not only for travel reasons but also when storage space is limited and the ability to be able to fold the wheelchair and store it in a smaller area of your home can make a big difference.

Many of the lightweight and standard weight wheelchairs available on the market can be folded as well as the bariatric wheelchairs.

A folding wheelchair is designed to require minimal effort to take it from a folded state to being ready for use and vice versa and is also designed to withstand the regular movement of the wheelchair parts in order to change its state.

Although a folding wheelchair is made to withstand the extra movement, many will still endure more wear and require a little more maintenance than one that is of a rigid frame.

As you can see there are pros and cons with owning a folding wheelchair and it depends on what you may need from yours, some folding wheelchairs will have a lower performance than a rigid chair but you may need the folding capabilities more than anything so the choice is often dependant on your individual needs and requirements.

As you will be aware there are always places that may not have a permanent ramp in place and if you are using a wheelchair or a mobility scooter it can create difficulties when there are steps to get over and sometimes gaps that can cause a problem for a wheelchair or mobility scooter.

Fortunately there is a good selection of lightweight ramps that are portable and can be carried like a suitcase so that where a short ramp may be needed the ramp can be quickly put in place and creates a much better entrance and exist for an individual using mobility products.

The ramps can also be used to provide a safe and sturdy exit from a vehicle where there may not be an actual fitted ramp in place on a vehicle.

The ramps are designed to be easy to unfold and to put into place and are purposely designed to bear high weight loads.

They can be purchased for well under £100 but if you require more from your purchase then you can pay substantially more.

Generally a shorter length ramp will be more suited to curbs and steps, for example a 2ft ramp up to a 4ft ramp, and you will find ramps longer than 4ft, up to 6ft more suited to being used for mobility scooters and wheelchairs exiting a vehicle.

It is important that a mobility ramp is not used beyond its intended use and a shorter ramp should never be positioned at a steep incline if it is not intended to be used to that degree.

There are many different types of accessories available that you can purchase for your wheelchair, from attachments to bags to help carry your personal belongings and shopping as well as cushions to provide you with extra comfort while using your wheelchair.

In the UK you can find some handy accessories that will be good to have with you at all times incase you have minor difficulties with your wheelchair, for example you can buy puncture sealant that can be using to quickly solve the problem of a puncture in air filled tyres.

Other handy accessories available are cup holders, while using a wheelchair you want to be able to put certain things temporarily out of the way while at the same time having them close by for your convenience, and a cup holder, easily attached to your wheelchair can make it very easy for you to store a drinks can safely but still within easy reach.

There are also crutch and walking stick holders available so if you need to have either of these with you while using your wheelchair you can easily take them with you by usually having the holder attached to the back of your wheelchair where the crutches or walking sticks can be stored in a vertical position.

For added comfort while using your wheelchair, especially if using it for a longer period or during the winter you can buy wheelchair cushions that are often covered in canvass or vinyl making them easy to clean too and giving you comfortable seating.

The cushions available start at very affordable prices but if you require something of a very high quality and more specific support and not just for added comfort then you can pay over £200 for a good quality product, but it can be seen as money well spent if it improves the users seated position and comfort.

There are more wheelchair accessories available but above are some of the most common ones that you will find and some that you may consider purchasing to improve your comfort and add benefit to your wheelchair’s features.