This project develops an innovative manual wheelchair design that utilizes a lever for propulsion. Use of a lever promotes a natural and efficient motion. Traditional pushrim wheelchairs require an awkward motion that leads to injuries of the shoulders, elbows, and wrists for the majority of users. The lever design utilizes a single lever for propulsion located between the users knees. Steering and braking is with a bicycle-style handlebar attached to the top of the lever. The flexibility of this approach has allowed a novel wheelchair frame design to be developed. Users and wheelchair experts have found that this design provides superior overall mobility and greater therapeutic physical conditioning.
