¶ Introduction
A manual wheelchair is a wheelchair that must be pushed by the patient, or an attendant.
A conventional manual wheelchair.
¶ Further Considerations
A power wheelchair provides a significant increase in independence and quality of life in comparison to a manual wheelchair. However, a manual wheelchair should be kept in case of mechanical failure of a power wheelchair.
Manual wheelchairs are also useful in certain situations, such as use on sandy beaches (with the aid of a grip surface), or places where a power wheelchair is too large or too heavy to be used.