Prescription considerations and a comparison of conventional and lightweight wheelchairs.

D espite its obvious benefits to the user, the wheelchair represents a changed and intensely disliked lifestyle . It identifies the user as disabled and is a constant reminder of the disability . Moreover, the wheelchair becomes part of that person's self-image . For the prescribing physician or clinician, it is a frustrating reminder of an . inability to cure the condition . An appropriate wheelchair prescription for a permanently disabled person demands the utmost attention and care, involving the assessment and integration of the user's needs with the most currently available technology . Since each user's needs are unique and scores of basic wheelchair types, each with numerous options, are available, hundreds if not thousands of possible combinations and choices exist. Over the past few years, available technology for wheelchairs has been changing rapidly . This trend is expected to continue . Wheelchairs, component parts, and even new concepts of wheelchair usage are changing radically . Thus, excellence of practice makes it imperative for the prescribing physician and clinician to be aware of new technology and trends. An example of both the application of new technology and new concepts of wheelchair use is provided by what are now called lightweight wheelchairs . Lightweight wheelchairs, originally designed exclusively for athletes, have had a dramatic impact upon the very image of a wheelchair, and are now preferred by users with a wide range of non-athletic needs and interests . However, conventional wheelchairs are still the most appropriate choice for many individuals . Thus, the prescriber must consider and evaluate the latest engineering trends along with input from the users and their families, as well as from nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and knowledgeable suppliers in order to write the optimal wheelchair prescription. This article traces the primary and ongoing concerns of the wheelchair prescriber in meeting the individual physical and environmental needs of prospective users . It also presents a comparative description of conventional and lightweight wheelchair components and functional characteristics to help the prescriber and user make the best choice.