Wheelchair Optimisation: Why Wheelchair Weight Matters.
You can read the full SUNRISE MEDICAL educational resource here.
Why Wheelchair Weight Matters — A Simple Guide
When choosing a manual wheelchair, weight is one of the key factors that affects how easy it is to use, push, and transport. But it’s not the only thing that’s important — and lighter doesn’t automatically mean better for everyone.
1. It’s About Balance and Setup, Not Just Weight
How your wheelchair is set up — things like where the wheels sit, the seat height, and how your weight is distributed — has a big effect on how easy it feels to push the chair. Getting these settings right often matters even more than the actual weight.
2. Weight Affects Rolling Resistance
Rolling resistance is the force that makes a wheelchair harder to push. Heavier wheelchairs can create more resistance, meaning you might need to push harder. Reducing overall weight can help make pushing easier, but only if everything else is also well set up.
3. Every Part Adds Weight
It’s not just the metal frame that matters — cushions, back supports, wheels, and accessories all contribute to the final weight of the wheelchair. Choosing lighter options for these parts can make the chair easier to handle, as long as they still meet your comfort and support needs.
4. Weight and Your Daily Life
For many wheelchair users, weight does make a real difference:
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Pushing Effort: Lighter chairs can be easier to push, especially over long distances or uneven surfaces.
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Transport: A lighter wheelchair is simpler to lift into a car or onto a bus — which can mean more independence.
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Energy Use: Carrying less weight can reduce fatigue and strain on your arms and shoulders, helping you stay active longer.
But weight isn’t the only thing — the right balance, chair configuration, and fit to your body and lifestyle are just as important.
5. You Decide What Matters Most
Experts agree that weight is only one piece of the puzzle. For some people, especially those who self-propel or frequently lift their chair, it may be a top priority. For others, stability, comfort, or positioning support might matter more. A good wheelchair choice comes from combining your personal needs with a chair that’s optimised in multiple ways — not weight alone.
In Short
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Weight influences ease of pushing and transport.
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Configuration, balance, and fit are equally important.
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Every component adds weight — not just the frame.
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What matters most depends on your goals and daily routine.
What Is the Centre of Gravity (CoG) in a Wheelchair — and Why It Matters
Centre of Gravity (CoG) and Centre of Mass (CoM)
Balancing COM over COG provides the rider with the stability.
The centre of mass (CoM) is the point where all the mass of a body is balanced, while the centre of gravity (CoG) is the point where the weight of that body effectively acts.
In everyday wheelchair use they are treated as the same, and their position strongly affects stability and ease of pushing: moving the CoG slightly forward makes a wheelchair easier to propel and turn, but too far forward can reduce stability, while a rearward CoG increases stability but requires more effort to move.
Why It Matters
When you sit in a manual wheelchair, your body and the chair together have a centre of gravity — the point where all your weight balances. This point is crucial for how the chair feels, how easy it is to push, and how stable it is.
Why the Position of the CoG Matters.
Some key features
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Ease of pushing: If the rear wheels are positioned so the CoG is closer to them, the chair feels easier to push and steer.
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Stability: A chair with the CoG too far back can feel “tippy” — which can help clear small obstacles but may also make it easier to tip backwards if you’re not prepared.
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Comfort and performance: Getting the CoG right helps you move more independently and comfortably without unnecessary strain.
Adjusting the CoG of your wheelchair.
Some key features
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Wheelchairs often allow adjustments of the rear axle position — that’s the point where the back wheels connect to the frame.
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Moving the axle forward can make pushing easier by bringing the CoG closer to the wheels.
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Moving it back can increase stability by shifting weight toward the rear.
Finding the Right Balance.
Some key features
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There’s no one perfect setting for everyone — it depends on your body shape, strength, and how you use your wheelchair.
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A wheelchair that feels good, is easy to propel, and feels safe usually comes from fine-tuning the centre of gravity along with other chair setup details.
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