New wheelchairs perform best in titanium

Posted by ghgeorge
March 17, 2009

Newswise has a story that tested 12 wheelchairs and found titanium chairs were easier to transport, handled larger loads, and lasted longer than their steel or aliminium cousins. Titanium chairs tend to run a little more expensive, but this study shows that the extra money is well spent. A lighter chair is always a welcome idea from either the patient trying to pull it into a car, or the caregiver trying to get it into or out of a car carrier. Also, chairs that can stand up better to bangs and bumps and not lose it’s regidity through the lifetime of the wheelchair is excellent news.

Rust and corrusion is another plus for titanium chairs. Steel will rust over time when placed in a salt laden environment, like living in New England. Untreated steel will flake and become weak to the point of breakage. Aliminum on the other hand tends to bend and break at loads that titanium woulnd’t even break a sweat over. The military found out how much better titanium was in airplane parts that had to be light and strong at the same time. Wheelchairs are a tough environment as well, and must handle loads that may change over time and not be bothered by drops and bang ups that happen when the chair is dropped. I have both steel and titanium, and I use the titanium chair exclusively because it is light and easy to get around. Plus the steel chair does not hold up as well when I drop it or when it gets dinged up. Spend the little extra money, you will not be disapointed by switching over to titanium.

Equipment

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