All You Need to Know About the Dimensions of Wheelchairs!

Architect / Content Writer

Wheelchair is a mobile-seat (movable seating) which is specially designed for disabled or handicapped people or for the senior citizen who is unable to walk or move from one place to another. For that, the standard wheelchair size should be more comfortable and it should be as given below:

Courtesy - 123rf
Must Read: Things To Keep In Mind Regarding Anthropometrics While Designing!

Length of Wheelchair – 1.10 to 1.25 meter (3’-7” to 4’-1”)

Breadth of Wheelchair – 0.60 to 0.70 meter (2’-0” to 2’-3”)

Height of wheelchair should be such that the person who is going to move wheelchair can handle and move it comfortably, and the person who is going to seat on it can get comfortable backrest. Therefore its height should be:

Height of Wheelchair – 0.90 to 1.10 meter (3’-0” to 3’-7”)

Note: Small wheelchairs are also available for children’s dimension. Even special wheelchairs are also available in the market which are hydraulic & automated for sports related activities.

The wheelchair correct seat height measurement is also important which will ensure (guard) the optimum (appropriate) driving efficiency (order) and can give more clearance to fit underneath tables. Therefore, the height of wheelchair seat should be such that they can seat comfortable and it should be:

Height of Wheelchair Seat: 0.45 to 0.50 meter or 1-6” to 1- 8”

Courtesy - 123rf

Height of table is also as important as the size of wheelchair and should be such that it gives more clearance for leg to fit underneath the tables comfortably. Therefore, drawers and shutters should have to be eliminated under the table for ease in access of wheelchair. In such case, pullout vertical units on one or both sides of the work centers are desirable.The standard height of table should be in following given range:

Height of Wheelchair Table: 0.80 to 0.86 meter or 2’-7” to 2’-10”

Courtesy: Pixabay

The turning dimension is also more important to use wheelchair. Minimum turning space for wheelchair should be 1.50 meter or 5’-0” or 60” inch. For comfortable turning then 1.80 meter diameter is preferable.

To access different levels (for wheelchairs), ramps are required to reach different levels. Therefore the as per Neufert Standards there is limits provided for wheelchair’s length & landing dimension.  Maximum length of ramp for wheelchair access should not be longer than 6 meter (20’ feet); therefore particular landing should be provided at every 6 meter (20’ feet) length.

Minimum dimension of landing length should be 1.50 meter (5’ feet).

Courtesy - 123rf

These all dimensions and sizes are decided according to the average size of human dimensions/ Anthropometrics as per Neufert Standards.

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