Which Wheelchair Should You Buy? Standard vs Commode vs Reclining
Most families buying a first wheelchair in Kenya buy a standard one because it is the one they have seen. For a patient who can transfer themselves and sits out for a few hours a day, that is the right decision. For a patient who cannot stand, cannot reach a toilet, or will spend most of the day in the chair, it is the beginning of a long series of problems.
The four decisions, in order
Work through these in sequence and the right chair usually identifies itself: can the patient walk to a toilet, can the patient reposition themselves in the chair, how many hours a day will they sit in it, and who is pushing.
Types of wheelchair and what each is for
| Type | Price | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Wheelchair | KSh 12,000 | The patient can transfer and use a normal toilet, sitting a few hours a day |
| Paediatric Wheelchair | KSh 12,000 | A child. Adult chairs do not support a small frame safely |
| DY681-46 Wheelchair with Commode | KSh 21,000 | Toileting is the problem. Removes the hardest transfer of the day |
| Reclining Commode Wheelchair | KSh 22,500 | Long sitting hours plus toileting needs. Pressure relief matters |
| Reclining Wheelchair with Commode | KSh 24,000 | Limited trunk control, tube feeding, or all-day sitting |
| Heavy Duty Wheelchair | KSh 25,000 | Bariatric patients. Wider seat and reinforced frame |
| Extra Wide Commode Wheelchair | KSh 25,000 | Bariatric patients who also need commode function |
Standard
Fixed back, footrests, self-propelling rear wheels. Light, foldable, cheapest, and by far the most common. It assumes the patient can sit upright unaided and can get out of it to use a toilet.
Commode
A cut-out seat with a removable pan underneath. This is not a luxury item. The transfer from wheelchair to toilet is the highest-risk manoeuvre in home care, it is where carers hurt their backs, and it is where patients fall. A commode chair removes it entirely. If the patient cannot walk to a toilet, this is the single most useful upgrade available.
Reclining
The backrest tilts back, often with elevating leg rests. Recline matters for three groups: patients with poor trunk control who slide forward in an upright chair, patients being tube fed who must stay elevated, and anyone sitting more than four or five hours a day. Changing the seating angle periodically is what protects the skin over the sacrum. A patient sitting bolt upright for eight hours is developing a pressure sore whether or not anyone has noticed yet.
Heavy duty
Wider seat, reinforced frame, higher load rating. Putting a bariatric patient in a standard chair is unsafe for the patient and destroys the chair. Measure the patient hip width sitting, then add 3 to 5 cm.
Paediatric
A child in an adult chair slides, tips sideways and develops postural problems. Buy the paediatric frame and expect to review it as the child grows.
Measuring for fit
- Seat width. Hip width plus about 3 to 5 cm. Too narrow causes pressure at the hips; too wide causes leaning and shoulder strain when self-propelling.
- Seat depth. Two to three finger-widths of clearance behind the knee. Too deep and the chair presses into the back of the knee.
- Seat height and footrests. Thighs level, feet fully supported. Dangling feet transfer all the load to the sacrum.
- Doorways at home. Measure them before ordering, especially for heavy duty and extra wide chairs.
- Cushion. Budget for one. The chair sling alone is not a pressure-relieving surface.
What people regret
Two things, consistently. Buying a standard chair when toileting was always going to be the daily struggle, and skipping the cushion. Both are cheaper to get right at the point of purchase than to correct three months later, and by then there may be a pressure sore to treat as well.
If the patient will also be in bed for long periods, read the ripple mattress guide alongside this one, and the home care starter pack puts the chair, bed, mattress and transfer aids on one delivery.
Questions we are asked most often
Standard or commode wheelchair?
If the patient cannot walk to a toilet, commode. It removes the most dangerous transfer of the day for both patient and carer.
When is a reclining chair necessary?
When the patient has poor trunk control, is tube fed, or will sit for more than four or five hours a day.
How do I measure seat width?
Measure hip width while seated and add 3 to 5 cm. Do not measure standing.
Do the chairs fold for transport?
Standard and commode chairs fold. Reclining and extra wide models are bulkier; check boot dimensions before travelling.
Ordering
Full stock and prices are on the wheelchairs page, with patient transfer aids and bathroom safety equipment alongside. We deliver to all 47 counties and will help you size the chair before you order.