In the United States, 61 million adults live with a disability. When you live with a disability, you may rely on mobility aids, such as an electric wheelchair, to be able to complete your daily tasks.
If you have a wheelchair, it is essential that you do regular wheelchair maintenance to keep your wheelchair in perfect working condition.
Prevent Sudden Problems
One of the main reasons why wheelchair maintenance is important is that it can help you prevent sudden problems with your wheelchair. While it may not be an inconvenience to be without your wheelchair when you are in the comfort of your own home, sudden problems with your wheelchair may leave you stranded in public.
This is because the mechanics of your wheelchair need to be regularly examined and maintained. When you take your wheelchair for a maintenance and repair service, these issues will be examined and caught to prevent you from getting stranded!
You will never have to worry about sudden or unexpected problems with your wheelchair.
Identify Signs of Wheelchair Damage
Next, getting your wheelchair professionally serviced can help you identify signs of wheelchair damage. While some signs may be obvious and easy to spot, others might be more difficult to identify for an average person.
If you don’t know that your wheelchair is damaged, it is more likely that a sudden problem could occur when you are out and about.
A professional wheelchair service will be able to look at each part of your wheelchair, including the internal mechanisms, to look for damage. Their professionally-trained eyes will be able to spot early signs of damage and can help you prevent worse repairs in the future.
Improve Comfort
Having your wheelchair maintained professionally can also improve your comfort as a wheelchair user.
Not only will it include an inspection of important wheelchair parts, but it will also maintain things that keep you comfortable. For example, they will inspect the back support, which can provide comfort and will improve your posture while sitting.
They will also inspect all the upholstery on your chair. If there are any tears or stretched areas, they can fix them to make your chair more comfortable.
Wheelchair maintenance will also ensure that your wheelchair operates smoothly. This includes maintaining the suspension to help absorb shocks and vibrations to ensure a smoother ride.
When you keep your wheelchair in great condition, it will work better and be more comfortable to use!
Keep Your Chair Functional
Maintenance is also necessary if you want your wheelchair to remain functional and in good working condition. This is necessary if you rely on your wheelchair to be independent.
If your chair needs to be repaired, you may not be able to do your daily tasks without it.
Plus, maintenance can extend the lifespan of your wheelchair. If you avoid fixing small issues with your wheelchair, they can turn into much more serious and expensive repairs in the future. It may even require a full replacement, which is a significant investment.
Regularly maintaining and servicing your wheelchair will ensure that your chair works as it should for as long as possible. Plus, the cost of wheelchair maintenance may pay for itself by preventing other unnecessary repairs.
Remain Independent
Many people rely on wheelchairs to be independent. Without some type of mobility aid, simple daily tasks can become impossible for many people with disabilities.
A wheelchair is essentially like a vehicle. It allows you to get where you need to go without having to ask anyone for help. Because of this, wheelchair maintenance should be as important as vehicle maintenance.
This way, you will be able to remain independent! You don’t have to worry about unexpected repairs impacting your independence or leaving you stranded.
Stay Safe
Not only does wheelchair maintenance protect your wheelchair, but it also protects you. There are many safety mechanisms of a wheelchair that keep you safe. These include your brakes, anti-rollback functions, and more.
If you don’t maintain these parts of your wheelchair, it may result in some type of accident.
During your routine wheelchair maintenance, each of these functions will be tested. Getting your safety features tested on a regular basis will ensure that you are protected and safe when using your wheelchair in any situation.
Plus, your professional maintenance service can check for loose nuts and bolts. These parts can become loose over time and may make your wheelchair unsafe. During your maintenance, they can tighten each of these parts to keep you safe and can help you prevent accidents or malfunctions.
Provides Peace of Mind
Finally, wheelchair maintenance will give you peace of mind. As a person with a disability, there are many places that are not very accessible. Without a wheelchair, it is even more difficult to do your daily activities.
Keeping your wheelchair maintained will ensure that you are protected and mobile in any situation.
Get Help With Wheelchair Maintenance Today
Proper wheelchair maintenance is necessary to help you stay safe, improve your comfort, and maintain your independence. Learning more about the importance of wheelchair maintenance can help you stay on top of it to protect your mobility!
If you need help with electric wheelchair maintenance or wheelchair lift maintenance, Freedom Mobility Center can help! We provide mobility aids from complex rehab chairs to power chairs and more.
Contact us today to learn more about our products or to set up wheelchair maintenance and repair services.