Best Wheelchair Arm Rest Reviews 2020

If you were asked to place a price tag on comfort, how much would you be willing to pay? $100, $1,000, $10,000 or even $1,000,000? Yeah, you read that accurately, a million dollars. While you’re still debating on that, you may be surprised to find out that you can get a good and comfortable armrest for less than $100. Quite unbelievable, right?

For a mild cost somewhere between $20-$100 you can transform your wheelchair from an ordinary transportation device to a fully functional and highly comfortable unit. There are wheelchair arm rests that can cost more or less than the range of our featured products, however, you should be more careful about those that are perceived as cheap wheelchair arm rests. If you’re asking why, it’s because they may be made from flimsy materials and may make you more uncomfortable. Yes, it’s quite possible.

There are some factors that should be considered before selecting an arm rest for your wheelchair. Although the style of arm rest chosen will ultimately depend on the physical and health condition of the wheelchair user, we’ve tried to compile a list of the general features that an arm rest should have. We’ll try to explain each feature and how it ultimately leads to more comfort and better support.

Here’s the main features of your average wheelchair arm rest:

• Type and design
• Attachment
• Size
• Material
• Package

Before selecting an arm rest for your wheelchair, there are several questions that must be answered in order to ensure you’re selecting the most suitable arm rest. Questions such as, which part of the body requires most support, if you intend to work from your wheelchair, what other activities are carried out in your wheelchair, and so on. The answers to these questions will help you understand the type and design of the wheelchair arm rest that would best suit you.

Type of Arm Rest

Fatigue of the arm muscles is one of the nightmares of wheelchair users, and using an arm rest is one of the best ways to eliminate it. The type of arm rest used goes a long way to reducing skin damage around the arm and elbow. Wheelchair arm rests can be broadly classified into 2 categories – full length and desk length arm rests. Please note that they may fall into other categories, but these 2 are the most common classifications. Full length arm rests (about 15 inches or more) normally spread the full length of the wheelchair’s current arm rest and are more common. It allows the user to have a greater area for gripping and provides further support for those that may want to mount trays on their wheelchairs.

Desk length arm rests on the other hand are approximately 4 inches shorter and allow the user to get nearer to the table or desk. So if your work requires a table, the desk length arm rest would be more ideal to prevent the bumping and inconvenience that would be accompanied by a full length arm rest.

Body Support

People with disabilities such as paralyzed arms or partial/full stroke will require a different arm rest from senior citizens that are unable to work unaided but retain upper body mobility. For those in the former category, a wheelchair arm rest that’s designed to support the upper extremities including the shoulder and neck would be more beneficial. Those arm rests usually have an elevated height to prevent uneven distribution of pressure which leads to skin damage and sores. Those in the latter category will benefit from wheelchair arm rests that are designed to prevent the arm from slipping during movement, e.g. an arm rest with a wider surface.

Materials

A wheelchair arm rest could be made from several materials, but the most popular construction materials are foam, fur and fleece. The foam padding used in arm rests are usually firm and are covered by a vinyl or leather material. Those that are vinyl covered are normally water-resistant and more durable. They could also come in several colors. The foam may become less firm with time, but it could take some time to get to that stage. Fleece may be gotten from sheepskin and is highly breathable, which is an advantage for those who have lost mobility in their arms. It’s usually favored by caregivers because it can also be machine-washed and dried. Who wouldn’t want to be spared the hassle of hand washing and sun drying? Fur, on the other hand, is quite comfortable, warm and stylish, just like fleece; bear in mind, though, that it shows stains easily and may require frequent washing, which may reduce its durability.

No matter the level of comfort offered, if the arm rest doesn’t safely attach to the wheelchair, then its entire purpose is defeated. An arm rest may attach either by hook and loop (Velcro) or sliding on the arm, or by screwing it to the arm. Care must be taken when attaching by any means to prevent sliding away of the arm rest during use which can lead to another accident. Of course, this is very undesirable. To ensure that it doesn’t happen, check the compatibility before purchasing. Arm rests that are attached by screws should come with the necessary hardware and the mounting holes should be equivalent to those of the wheelchair.

Although arm rests increase comfort and function, some wheelchair users prefer not to use it because it may increase the general weight of the wheelchair. To prevent this from happening, it’d be advisable to go for arm rests that don’t weigh a ton. It’d be better to stick with one that weighs less than 2 pounds, especially for active and manual wheelchair users.

Some arm rests come in pairs while others come singly. Those that come in pairs are usually preferred with patients who still have mobility in their arms while the single ones may be used by those with partial or full loss of mobility in the arm. The single ones should also be capable of being used on both arms without any fuss. Some may also come with additional storage pouches for keeping essentials such as pills, reading glasses, TV remote, etc.

Maintaining the arm rest and keeping it clean at all times should also be a priority. Black colored arm rests won’t show stains while brightly colored arm rests and those made of fur and fleece would. Vinyl-covered arm rests should be wiped clean with disinfectant while others can be machine-washed when needed.