Activity based manoeuvring sports wheelchairs

These are probably the most popular classification of sports wheelchairs as their numerous models allow a massive range of sports to be played. Most have four wheels, but some like tennis may have either three or four.

There is a vast array of choice in terms of design, appearance and performance when it comes to these sports wheelchairs.

Machines of this kind are designed to allow fast acceleration with quick bursts of speed immediately followed by rapid braking or changes in direction. Wheelchairs of this type can be used for sports like tennis and basket ball and they can also be used for activity based recreational hobbies like dancing.

It is also possible to get an all purpose sports wheelchair which will be suitable for all of the manoeuvring based sports and even the static sports like archery. A wheelchair of this type can open up a massive range of sporting activities to anyone who has lost the use of their lower limbs, but still wants an active and energetic lifestyle.

Design features

The majority of activity sport wheelchairs will have rear wheels that splay outwards. This results in the span between the wheels being greater at ground level than it is at the centre or top of the wheels. This offers greater stability during sharp turning and impacts with other wheelchairs or obstacles and it makes it easier for the machine to self-right itself if it over balances on two wheels. Ultimately it makes the wheelchair less likely to overturn.

The second big feature of most sports wheelchairs of this type is a seat with a comparatively low backrest. These seats offer support to the lower back, from which a lot of the upper body movements are generated, but they do not hinder or obstruct any twisting, turning or leaning movements that the sport may require. In other words they leave the upper body as free as possible so that swinging a tennis racket or bouncing a basket ball is not a problem.

Many sports wheelchairs will have one or two small additional rear wheels that project backwards beyond the main frame of the chair. These wheels prevent the chair from tipping over (backwards) if sudden forward acceleration is required. There role is to keep the chair balanced, Basket ball and tennis wheelchairs frequently have this feature.

Most sports wheelchairs do not have armrests and if they do they are very low and usually terminated at the height of the rear wheels.

Different types of sports wheelchair

A general purpose sports wheelchair will be more than adequate for many different sports. However if someone wishes to focus on a specific sport, and play at a competitive level, a sports-specific wheelchair may be advisable.

There are a number of different sports that have sport-specific wheelchairs designed just for them and good examples are tennis, basketball and badminton. However there are many more.

The reason why there are differences in the designs of these sports chairs is because of the playing characteristics of the sport and the continual evolution of chair design based on user feedback.

In the twentieth century wheelchair sports and international events like the Paralympics have turned activity based wheelchair design into a big industry. All of the many manufacturers are constantly seeking to come up with something that is better and more original than their competitors and they work with the top Paralympics athletes to achieve these aims.

One of the many advantages of this is that you can buy a sports wheelchair from as little as 500 pounds Stirling (700 - 800 US dollars). This means that a fully functional and highly specialised sports wheelchair can cost less than a set of golf clubs.

Some examples

Popular examples of sports wheelchairs include those made specifically for sports like basketball, badminton, tennis, dancing, fencing, table tennis etc. You can use the links below to find out more about basketball and tennis wheelchairs.

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