Portable Wheelchair Ramps

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For people using wheelchairs, everyday activities like using staircases, entering homes or malls, and getting into SUVs can become problematic tasks. Portable wheelchair ramps can prove to be very useful aids for many of these activities.

While permanent wheelchair ramps are found in many places, these fixed ramps cannot be used for activities such as getting into a car. These are situations where a portable wheelchair ramp can be a real blessing for those using wheelchairs, as you can carry the ramp with you and use it to gain easy access to any place that you would like. Such ramps are often very compact and fold into a compact unit that can be stored and carried around conveniently.

Types of ramps

These ramps come in various types, sizes and materials. There are folding ramps, threshold ramps, van and SUV ramps (designed for easy access to vehicles), and modular ramps. Modular ramps can also be custom designed to suit your needs. The ramps may comprise of landings, bolts, flanges, wheels and other support systems. Bolts or clamps may also be required for fitting.

Portable ramps can be further classified as horizontally folding or longitudinally folding. They could be single fold or multi fold. Single fold ramps are very simple to use, as they fold only once. But these may turn out to be slightly bigger than multi fold ramps, and can be somewhat inconvenient to carry around. Multi fold ramps, on the other hand, fold more than once and are very compact to carry round. They can also offer longer ramp length.

Wheelchair ramps could also be track ramps or full width ramps. Track ramps, as the name suggests, are similar to tracks made for trains to run on - they consist of two different sections, which must be placed at the correct distance from each other. The wheels of the chair then navigate along these ramps. But these are sometimes complicated to set up, and can pose some safety issues. Full width ramps are the more commonly used ramps where the entire width of the ramp is covered by a material. Ramps can be made of a variety of materials including steel, aluminum, rubber and wood.

How to choose a ramp

When choosing a ramp, you have to consider several factors. One of these factors is the loading weight. It is very important to find out the maximum weight that a ramp can hold without folding or collapsing. You should also consider how much weight you are comfortable carrying around - sturdy materials are often heavier. The final folded size of the ramp compared to your storage space is also important, and so is flexibility provided by the ramp.

While there are many kinds of portable wheelchair ramps available, there is no single ramp that can guarantee access in all situations. That is why it is important that you first consider your daily needs and then decide on the kind of ramp that you will buy. Consult the store manager, explain your needs and take his help in identifying the most suitable portable wheelchair ramp suited to your personal mobility needs.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

For more information on wheelchair ramps or wheelchair accessible kitchens contact an accessibility expert at BarrierFree.org

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