How to Properly Adjust a Wheelchairs Center of Gravity

Today, seeing a power wheelchair on the streets of Latin America and the Caribbean has become more common than it was a few years ago. The world of power chairs has undergone multiple changes and improvements thanks to technology. Loh Medical provides its users with lightweight, adjustable, personalized, transportable power chairs with cutting-edge technology.

The best part of a custom wheelchair is that it fully adapts to the user in both its structure and accessories.

One of these adaptations is the center of gravity of the rear wheels. Center of gravity affects three main attributes of a wheelchair - safety, maneuverability and the speed of the chair when moving.

In a standard wheelchair, the center of gravity is typically fixed at 0° for safety reasons. It is set as far back as possible so that the user can lean back and the chair will not tip backwards, but this makes it difficult to maneuver and can affect speed since the chair will feel heavier.

Active or sports wheelchairs typically allow adjustment of the center of gravity from 0° to 4°. This makes the chair feel lighter during handling, improves maneuverability, and even gives the chair a smaller footprint.

To determine if the center of gravity of a wheelchair is properly adjusted, the user's hands and shoulders should be aligned with center of the wheel as shown in the image.

The center of gravity in wheelchairs with tilting or reclining is even more important. If they are not correctly compensating when tilting or reclining, the chair can tip backward. In the case of rotational tilt in space, the center of gravity does not move and it is fully functional and safe.

For these reasons, center of gravity should always be a consideration when purchasing a wheelchair.