What are common issues that arise with manual wheelchair use?

Author: Sharon Jang | Reviewer: Ian Denison | Published: 3 January 2025 | Updated: ~

Diagram of the wheel locks and the bolts that can be adjusted.³¹

If your wheelchair is still moving despite your wheel locks being on, first check to see if your wheels may be underinflated. Try inflating your tires to the recommended pressure. If the wheel locks are still ineffective, try adjusting the position of the wheel lock by loosening the bolts securing the clamp on the frame of the wheelchair. Slide the adjustment bar as required, and tighten up the bolts. If your brakes look like they are worn, contact your local wheelchair service provider for a replacement.

One way to check tracking is by rolling through a puddle of water. Take note of the water trail made from the wheels. Are they parallel and straight?³²

As you push your wheelchair, it should travel straight forward. However, your wheelchair may sometimes veer, or pull to one side, when you intend to go forward in a straight line. Before trying to resolve this issue, ensure that your chair is actually pulling one way, and that it isn’t related to an uneven surface or unequal strength. To do this, propel your wheelchair forward as far as you can with one push. Note any deviations to a side. Turn around, and perform the same action in the opposite direction. This is to cancel out the effect of an uneven surface. If you have identified a pulling of your wheelchair in one direction, something is causing poor tracking. There are multiple reasons why your wheelchair may veer to one side when you are pushing.

• Caster:
  • Vertical alignment of the caster may be off.
  • Caster fork may be misaligned.
  • Hair may be wrapped around one of the casters.
• Tire:
  • Check to ensure that the tire pressure on both sides are equal.
  • Make sure that axles are mounted symmetrically on the frame.
• Frame:
  • Make sure the frame is sitting evenly. Check that the footplates are sitting at an equal height.