Investing in the best portable wheelchair access ramps can change the life of a disabled person, allowing him or her a far greater freedom of movement. In order to make the most of access ramp ownership, however, it’s important to research how to choose the best ramp to meet your needs before you make a purchase.
A Guide To the Best Portable Wheelchair Access Ramps: Understanding Types
When shopping for portable wheelchair ramps or disabled steps, you are likely to encounter a wide variety of ramp types, each of which fulfils a specific purpose. Understanding the functions and limitations of different ramps is key to selecting the correct ramp (or ramps) to meet your needs. Common ramp types include:
Threshold ramps: These ramps are designed to facilitate wheelchair access across door thresholds and are therefore an excellent choice if your house, or the house of a friend or relative, has steep thresholds.
Suitcase ramps: These ramps generally contain two sections with handles, allowing the user to carry them like suitcases. They are extremely light and portable, making them useful for people who go on frequent outings where they may encounter inaccessible areas.
Broad ramps: These extra-wide ramps have the ability to fit the whole of a scooter or wheelchair on their surface, making them ideally suited to managing difficult inclines. (Note that broad ramps can also be purchased with hand rails for greater ease of use.)
Channel ramps: Channel ramps have two distinct ‘channels,’ making them adaptable to a variety of different wheelchairs (as they have no set width).
Telescopic ramps: These ramps are similar to standard fixed wheelchair ramps, but instead of being constructed with just one section, they have two nested sections that can be adjusted. This allows the user to make the ramp either longer or shorter, depending on the demands of the situation. Telescopic ramps can therefore be extended to make steep inclines easy to handle while still remaining suitably portable.
Roll-up ramps: These ramps, which can simply be rolled up after each use, are ideal for those who need a very portable ramp. If, for example, you lack a large vehicle to carry around your portable wheelchair access ramps, having a roll-up ramp is an ideal compromise.
Factors To Consider When Choosing the Best Portable Wheelchair Access Ramps
If you use a power wheelchair or scooter, be sure to check the maximum allowable incline for your model; you’ll need to choose a ramp which does not exceed this figure. Likewise, make sure to review the weight allowance of the portable ramps you’re interested in before committing to buy; some ramps flex and bend more easily than others, so if you have a heavy scooter or wheelchair, you will need to choose a sturdy ramp type. If you frequently have someone help push you up ramps, make sure to factor the weight of your caregiver into the total sum of kilograms you’ll be placing on your portable ramp. Finally, remember that it’s a good idea to leave 10-20 per cent additional width (in addition to the width of your wheelchair or scooter) to ensure your ramp is navigable.