Invacare 9000 SL Custom Wheelchair

This will insure the best performance for navigating tight areas both inside the home as well out in public spaces.

A wheelchair that is too narrow or too wide can cause discomfort. When too narrow, a wheelchair can become restrictive and increase the likelihood of pressure sores, while when it's too wide, becomes more difficult to push due to the angle of the arms from the shoulders to the wheels.

To determine the necessary seat width, measure the rider's widest area of the body and add one inch. This will allow for optimum seat width while maintaining ideal usability, comfort and safety.

To determine the appropriate seat depth, measure from the back of a chair to the inside of your knee. Subtract one inch to assure no contact is made between the edge of the wheelchair seat and the inside of your leg, which could cause discomfort and prevent the rider from sitting back fully in the chair.

Make sure you'll be positioned correctly in your wheelchair and can sit at your desk or kitchen table. Standard tables/counters have a knee clearance of 27 inches.

When armrests are not fitted properly the wheelchair can become more difficult to push. Not all armrests are adjustable. Height should be fitted to allow the forearm to rest fully on the armrest without pushing up on the shoulders. For users who sit at a table or desk, swing-away armrest can beneficial.

There are four basic types of armrests:
1. Full length, fixed height (entire armrest is padded with a non-adjustable height)

2. Full length, adjustable height (entire armrest is padded with various height seetings)

3. Desk length, fixed height (partial armrest is padded for easier access with tables, non-adjustable height)

4. Desk length, adjustable height (partial armrest is padded for easier access with tables, various height seetings)

Armrest that can be easily removed or flip up and down gives users the choice of when to use the armrests.

There are two types of rear wheels, Spoked Wheels and "molded" Mag Wheels.

1. Spoked Wheels are made of metal and are similar in appearance to that of bicycle wheels. The number and size of the spokes affect durability, shock absorption, weight, and performance. The more spokes, the more stable the wheel will be.

2. Mag Wheels are made of molded plastic or a composite. They have a small number of wide molded spokes that are an integral part of the wheel. Mag wheels are more durable, require less maintenance, and usually weigh more then spoked wheels.

• Multi position fork: Typically, caster forks have two positions for the caster/wheel height. The multi position fork has an added number of positions allowing for extra adjustments. This is useful for future seat height adjustments, or future changes of caster size.
• Fork pin locks: The fork pin lock is a lock that can be used to lock the casters in place. Commonly used while transferring the user in and out of their wheelchair, the lock prevent the casters from rotating.
• Frog legs: Frog legs are suspension forks that are spring loaded. This sporty looking option is especially useful if jolting is painful to the wheelchair user, as the suspension will absorb and cushion the bumps.
• Quick release caster stems: This is a button placed where the caster fork attaches to the chair, called the stem. Through pressing this button, the whole fork assembly, casters included, comes off. Good for traveling.
• 1.5 longer fork stem bolt: This is another way of adjusting the seat-to-floor height. Through choosing different fork stems, you can appropriate the seat-to-floor height you prefer.

Using wheel locks as a braking device can cause injury and excessive tire wear and should never be used in this manner.

There are various types of wheel locks available:

1. Push-to-lock wheel locks are the most common. The break is engaged by the rider pushing forward and applying pressure with the palm of their hand until the lever snaps into position.

2. Pull-to-lock wheel locks work in the same manner as the push-to-pock except the lever is pulled forward. For some riders, it may be easier because it does not require as much upper body mobility needed to push the lever away from the body.

3. Swing-away, low-mount and under-mount wheel locks work in different ways depending on the style. These wheel locks help you avoid hitting your thumbs when pushing directly on the tires by mounting the wheel locks away from this range of motion. Due to its location, some riders with limited mobility may not be able to engage these wheel locks.

Wheel lock extensions provide a greater lever arm to apply and remove the locking mechanism, making the wheel locks easier to engage for a rider with decreased upper strength.