Glossary of Wheelchair Terms

Adaptation- refers to finding other ways to do things to make the most of your abilities. Adapting to being in a wheelchair may involve making changes to your environment such as adding ramps and widening doorways.

Assistive Steeing Devices- Assistive Steering Devices may vary depending upon the client's needs. They can range from reduced effort steering to compensate for reduced strength, to joystick steering for one-handed control of steering, braking and acceleration, to spinner knobs that allow steering with one hand.

Axle-the part at the center of a wheel; a wheel rotates around an axle with the help of a ball bearing.

Body Mechanics- refers to the study of proper body movement to prevent and correct posture problems, reduce stress and help accomplish a heavy task.

Casters-the two small wheels located at the front or rear of the wheelchair that swivel in all directions to contribute to the maneuverability of the wheelchair.

Camber- the off-vertical tilt of the larger wheelchair wheels, which increases stability.

Custom- referring to a frame or wheelchair built to a customer's specifications.

Dump- the angle between the seat rail and the floor.

Fork- the part that attaches the front wheels, or casters, to the frame of the wheelchair.

Footrests- the place where a wheelchair user can rest his or her feet, also sometimes called a foot plate.

Hemi Wheelchair- a wheelchair with a low seat-to-floor height that allows for foot propulsion of the wheelchair.

Pnuematic- referring to pneumatic tires; powered by or filled with compressed air.

Posture- the position of the limbs or carriage of the body as a whole; can affect how you feel and your ability to function in your wheelchair.

Propel- to move your wheelchair forward; either by hand or by a motor.

Push Handle- the handles on the back of wheelchairs that make it easier for an assistant to push the wheelchair from behind.

Push Rims- the rings on the sides of the rear wheels of a wheelchair that are used for hand-propelling

Quick-Release Axle- a push-button, removable axle that allows for easy removal of the rear wheel to transport the wheelchair.

Seat Angle- the angle between the seat rail and the floor.

Seat Height- the distance from the floor to the front or rear of the wheelchair.

Third Party Payers- applies to anyone other than the end-user who pays for the wheelchair. A third party payer could be a private insurance company, Medicare or Medicaid, the Veterans Administration, a charitable organization, or a private payer.

Wheelbase- the distance between the center of the front wheel caster to the center of the rear wheel caster.

Wheelchair Accessible- a building or public place that allows a person in a wheelchair to easily access all areas of that particular place.

Wheelie- balancing on the two rear wheels of a manual wheelchair. This skill can be useful when trying to deal with obstacles such as curbs and uneven surfaces.



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