Manual Wheelchairs are designed to allow people with limited mobility or limited walking capacity to go longer distances without physically tiring themselves. They allow people to remain independent in their own home, nursing home or retirement village and to access the local community. They can also allow people that were ordered from their surgeon after a bone surgery to keep their foot Non Weight Bearing (NWB) statues to comply to the surgeon’s or doctor’s orders. They come in two standard forms: self-propelled manual wheelchairs or transit wheelchairs.

Key considerations you should make when choosing a manual wheelchair include:

• The user’s needs, abilities and limitations
• The carer’s needs, abilities and limitations
• Transporting factors
• Environmental factors
• Financial factors

When deciding whether to buy a manual wheelchair there are a number of things to consider. At Gilani Engineering we have many years of experience in helping you choose the right model, at the right price, to suit your specific needs. Some of the key things to consider are:

1. Self-Propel or Transit?

a) Self-Propel:

If you want to be able to wheel yourself around then you will need a self-propel wheelchair. They have the larger rear wheels – usually 24” (60cm), swivelling front castors and hand rims to push the wheels round with. They are also better for going over rougher terrain eg: over grass or up kerbs

b) Transit:

If the user will always be pushed around in the wheelchair, then a transit model with the smaller rear wheels is more suitable. The standard size for transit wheelchairs are 8inch rear wheels and 7 inch front wheels. In addition to the standard manual brakes by the wheels, many transit models offer attendant brakes to assist the carer to reduce speed down hills or lock on for safety when required.

Transit Wheelchairs are ideal to be used indoors and in short distances such as travelling in and around the airport, in shopping centres, to and from the hospital, transfer from the car to doctors appointments or from the car to home. It is an excellent tool to be used when you are on holiday.

Transit models are generally slightly lighter in weight for transporting and take up a little less room in the boot of the car. In some cases, where the user is not safe to try and propel themselves or touch the wheels in motion eg: dementia, the transit model is a more suitable option.

What if you want both a manual wheelchair and electric wheelchair? 

Well at Gilani Engineering, we have a team of industry leading professionals and we provide the most innovative products.

That is why we have a Self-propelled motorised electric wheelchair that can act like both a manual wheelchair or electric wheelchair. It is super light weight making it the perfect hybrid Electric Wheelchair!

1. Which type of wheelchair do I need?

Lightweight: Our standard range of manual wheelchairs. Available in self-propel or transit models for general use. Total chair weight is about 10kg in this category. These weights can be reduced further by removing leg rests. Our Light Weight Manual Wheelchairs are priced to suit all budgets. Our lightweight manual wheelchair is 45cm wide.

Our Top Favourites:

1. Light-weight Manual Wheelchair With Foldable Backrest and attendant hand brake

1. Manual Wheelchair quick release wheels foldable, self propelled Aluminium chair

Ultra Lightweight: These manual wheelchairs are made from very lightweight aluminium in both self-propel or transit models. Total chair weights typically weigh about 7kg in this category. Our lightest transit chair is 34cm wide. The transit chair is lighter to propel and much easier to transport. The transit chair is ideal for short distances from the carpark to your car or around the airport.

1. Transit Wheelchair Manual Foldable With Carry Bag, Lightest Chair On The Market

Heavy-Duty: These models are designed for larger or Bariatric users. They offer wider seat sizes roughly about 62cm and increased weight capacities to approximately 250kg. Total chair weights are typically 26-29kg.

1. Heavy Duty Electric and Manual Wheelchair Self Propelled With Flip up Armrest Swing away Leg Rest and Safety Seatbelt

1. Foldable Heavy Duty Manual wheelchair 100kg capacity

1. Foldable Bariatric Manual Wheelchair Extra Wide Seat Removable Leg Rest Heavy Duty 250kg Weight Capacity

Tilt and Recline + elevating footrest: The tilt feature enables you to change the orientation of the user, without changing their hip to back angle thereby reducing pressure build-up. The recline feature increases the angle between the hip and back to allow the user to recline or ‘lie-back’ in the wheelchair. These chairs are widely used for all-day use and are fully adjustable to suit specific needs. Elevating foot rests are ideal for extra leg support.

Contact Gilani Engineering on 02 8740 8963 to receive a free quote for the Tilt and Recline + Elevating Footrest Manual Wheelchair

1. Transporting your wheelchair – the importance of weight

A key factor when choosing a manual wheelchair is the weight of the chair. The lighter the chair the easier it will be to propel and the easier it will be to transport in a car or other vehicle. Basic, wheelchairs can be made from steel which is heavy to lift and propel. Aluminium chairs are much lighter and more durable and that is why all Manual Wheelchairs at Gilani Engineering are made of premium Aluminium, despite the low price tag. As a general rule, the lighter the wheelchair, the higher the cost, but at Gilani Engineering, quality is our top priority for all our products so that is why we only use the highest quality, strongest and most durable Aluminium frames that are ultra light weight and offer the best support.

You need to consider how and who will be transporting the wheelchair:

• What weight can they safely lift?
• How often will they need to transport the chair?
• What vehicle is the wheelchair going in?
• Will the chair need to be dismantled to fit into the vehicle?
• Does the backrest fold down to reduce storage size?

1. Transfer considerations

How the user will get in and out of the manual wheelchair is also important. Choosing a model with swing away, removable, leg rests and flip-back arm rests may assist in this process where clear front access or side transfer is required. All of our manual wheelchairs have flip-up or flip away armrests and leg rests making it really easy to access the dining table.

2. What size manual wheelchair do I need?

It is important to ensure that you get the right size of wheelchair to suit you. As part of our assessment process we can measure the ideal width, depth and height of the seat as well as the height and angle of the leg rests and footplates. Some models offer adjustment to the seat width, seat depth, armrest height, backrest height and tension.

There are many other factors to consider. These include:

• Your height and weight?
  • Is the weight capacity right for your size?
  • Is the seat the right width?
  • Are your legs comfortable?
  • Do you need a lower floor to seat height? If so you’ll need a model that offers height adjustment in the wheel axle. Also required for anyone wishing to foot-propel the chair (semi-height setting).
• Who will push the wheelchair?
  • If the user is not able to self-propel, is the wheelchair light enough, with the user in it, for the carer to push? (especially up an incline)
  • Does the carer need attendant brakes to safely control the wheelchair when going downhill? (All Gilani Engineering products provide brakes).
• How often you intend to use the wheelchair each day?
  • If you want to use the wheelchair all day (or more than 4 hours) then you need to ensure it will have the correct seating and backrest. This may require the use of a pressure care cushion – anything ranging from simple foam for basic comfort to an air or gel cushion for high-risk users or those requiring
• Physical condition?
  • Do you have medical issues with your shoulders, arms, wrists or hands? This may prevent you from safely self-propelling or cause further injury if you do.
  • Do you have arthritis?
  • Do you lean to one side when sitting? You may need additional cushioning or a postural backrest to assist with posture or lateral support.
• Where will you use the wheelchair?
  • Are your local footpaths smooth or rough?
  • Do you want to go over grass or rougher terrain? If so, a self-propel model would probably be recommended.
• Folding or rigid frame?
  • Most of the wheelchairs in our range are foldable which makes them much easier to transport or store.
  • Rigid, or non-folding, frames are stronger, more durable and have a very stable feel to them. Most tilt-in-space wheelchairs are non-folding.
• Arm rests types?
  • Full length or desk length? Desk length are shorter enabling closer access to tables but less support when transferring on or off the chair.
  • Fixed or flip-back/removable? Fixed arm rests are stable for transfers whilst flip-back or removable arms are required for side transfers or getting closer to fixed objects.
• Who will service your wheelchair?
  • We service everything that we sell and believe that anyone selling wheelchair should do the same. Our trained technicians are available to come out to your home or bring your wheelchair in to our Bayswater showroom. Whilst there is very little that should ever go wrong on a wheelchair, they may require adjust/repair to the brakes, tyres/tubes, leg rests or the upholstery over years of use.
  • Our call out and service costs are some of the lowest in the industry. We only sell leading-brand, quality wheelchairs that are carefully selected for value, reliability and proven after-sales service.
• Do you require any accessories?
  • We offer a wide range of options and accessories including
  • Wheelchair Bags
  • wheelchair Inflatable Seat cushions
  • postural back rests
  • elevating leg rests
  • stump supports
  • oxygen bottle holders
  • IV pole holders and gutter or trough arm rests
  • Ask one of our consultants for more details!
• And of course, what’s your budget?
  • We have a large range of wheelchair to suit all budgets – check out our latest specials for some great bargains!
  • Gilani Engineering are Registered NDIS providers
  • Gilani Engineering offer Senior’s card discount 
  • We also offer 5% discount for Centrelink, DVA, Seniors or pensioners card clients

Want to try before you buy? Just contact us on 02 8740 8963 or sales@gilaniengineering.com.au or fill out the hire form!

With so many options now available, choosing the right wheelchair can be quite challenging. We have years of experience in assessing users and finding the right product to suit your needs. We always recommend that you test out any wheelchair before purchasing. Call today and speak to one of our friendly consultants to discuss your specific requirements.

To find out more about our large range of wheelchairs, call us now on (02) 8740 8963 or visit our showroom.