medical equipment and supplies for elderly parents

If your mobility has been limited due to a disability, it's important that you take all possible steps in order to restore it. A motorized wheelchair can go a long way toward restoring your freedom of movement, but these highly specialized machines require careful treatment and upkeep. Unfortunately, many people remain unaware of the steps they need to take in order to guarantee their reliable operation.

Below, you'll find a guide to some ways you can maintain your power wheelchair. Following these suggestions should help you maintain your mobility while simultaneously protecting the financial investment you've made in your chair. This will go a long way toward relieving the burden of living with a serious handicap.

Consistent Battery Charging

Your wheelchair's propulsion power is provided by its battery, making that perhaps the single most important component on the chair. Without proper precautions, you may notice your battery running down faster and with shorter cycles, and you could even be at risk of causing it to overheat.

Keeping your chair on a consistent charging schedule and plugging in whenever possible will help guarantee that your battery stays in its best shape. There's no need to allow it to run down to low capacity and put yourself at risk of an outage that could limit your mobility or even, potentially, cause a serious accident.

Leg Support Tightening

For many people, use of a power wheelchair is necessary due to an inability of the legs to function properly. In some cases, this may also include reduced feeling in the legs. If you suffer from these ailments, it's important that your legs are properly supported in order to avoid both injury to you and damage to your chair.

You should perform regular checks to verify that your leg supports provide adequate clearance from the ground and are tight and secure. You should also verify that they aren't rubbing against your chair's wheels, as the friction created there could cause serious structural issues.

Diligent Scheduling

The most important thing you can do to lengthen your wheelchair's life is to follow a regular maintenance schedule. Whether it's simple tasks like charging a battery or more complex fixes like replacing tires with worn tread, integrating maintenance into your routine will help guarantee that you don't overlook any issues or miss any spots for concern. Following the manufacturer's recommendations will also help maintain your chair's warranty, relieving you of some of the financial burden associated with repairs. For more information, contact companies like Alaska Mobility.