Stylish Wheelchair? These words seem like an oxymoron or contradictory terms to many people. Wheelchair users can't be stylish, can they? Some people think that wheelchairs are too serious to have style. Many wheelchair users avoid styling their ride because they do not want to draw attention to themselves. People are always staring anyway, so why attract even more attention?
To many people with disabilities a wheelchair is like a part of the body. A wheelchair is the "legs" of a paralyzed person or the foot of an amputee. A wheelchair can be help someone with Cerebral Palsy be an athlete or it can give someone with an invisible disability like chronic fatigue the ability to be mobile again. But it can also be a thing of beauty. With the right accessories a wheelchair can color coordinate with your clothes. It can enhance the look of your dyed hair. It can change from something drab and boring to something fun. Who says a wheelchair must be a serious medical device? Why can't your wheelchair reflect your personality?
With this in mind, we offer you a few suggestions about how to "renovate" you wheelchair and make your old, tired scratched up chair an object d'art.
First, consider colored tires. Many companies make them so I won't name any here. There are pneumatic tires which give a softer ride, but have the risk of getting a puncture. Or solid tires that feel a few more bumps, but never get flat. Both are now available in color. Just google "Colored Wheelchair Tires" (or "Coloured Wheelchair Tyres")
Second, colored pushrim covers are available at RehaDesign.com. RehaDesign's Ultra-Grrrip Pushrim Covers not only make the chair more attractive they give more control to the wheelchair. The wheelchair is more comfortable and easier to push and turn. However, this increased control is due to more friction and when going at high speeds, greater friction can cause the hands to feel hot. Quality wheelchair gloves are usually required together with quality pushrim covers.
Third, RehaDesign also offers colored tubes which cover the spokes, called "Seksi Spokes". Seksi Spokes are unique because they were selected to match with RehaDesign's Ultra-Grrrip Pushrim Covers. The combination of Seksi Spokes and Ultra-Grrrip pushrim covers are really amazing and for many people this will give the best impact for the money invested. So, if you are on a limited budget or have limited time, start here.
Fifth, a custom wheelchair seat cover will be the final step in stylizing your wheelchair. Just google "custom wheelchair seat covers" and several manufacturers will appear. Or go to Etsy and search for "wheelchair covers". I suggest to get a solid color to match your paint, pushrim covers and Seksi Spokes and avoid wild patterns. In my opinion, simplicity is usually the best style. But style is a matter of taste. So, show off your taste by creating your own style.