Portable wheelchair ramps are a great convenience as they enable you to navigate your wheelchair in and out of your home, stores and other public facilities.  They are made of sturdy but lightweight materials designed to allow easy transport and storage. Following are some tips to follow to ensure that you use your portable wheelchair ramp safely.

Safety Tips:
*Make sure you’re comfortable with the incline – Don’t exceed your comfort zone! If you’re attempting to traverse a steep incline, have an able-bodied attendant assist you.

*Don’t load the wheelchair with anything that can tip it backwards – It’s best not to carry anything that exerts downward gravitational force such as a backpack. Wait until you have traversed the incline to put the backpack on the wheelchair.

*Always fasten your seatbelt before negotiating the ramp. In fact, as a safety precaution you should fasten your seatbelt whenever you’re in your wheelchair.

*If you have anti-tip wheels, double-check them to make sure they’re working properly.

*Practice using your ramp. Begin driving your wheelchair at the slowest possible speed. The more you use your ramp the more confident you will become.

*When descending, proceed slowly and ease up towards the bottom of the ramp until you come to a complete stop.

*Don’t go solo until you are confident. Have an attendant or caregiver assist you until you are able to use the ramp confidently.

Portable Wheelchair Ramp Buying Guide

Portable wheelchair ramps come in a variety of designs including suitcase, threshold, solid, multifold, single fold and van & specialty ramps. Following are brief descriptions of each design type:

*Multi-fold Ramps – Longer ramps, which are ideal for traveling over several steps, steeper inclines or traversing uneven terrain, multi-fold wheelchair ramps fold in two places.

Utility Wheelchair Ramps

Threshold Ramps – Featuring a high-traction surface, threshold ramps are designed for smooth uneven doorways, sliding glass doors, and raised landings. They are made out of aluminum or rubber, fit 1 to 6 inches threshold height and can carry up to 600 pounds.

Solid Ramps – These ramps are a one-piece design, thus requiring no assembly.  They have no moveable parts. All you have to do is position the wheelchair ramp and you’re ready to go! Solid ramps feature a seamless rigid design for a safe and solid feel. These extremely sturdy ramps have a weight capacity of 700 pounds.

Single fold (Suitcase) Ramps – Ideal for slight elevation changes, single fold ramps fold longwise for easy transportation. Designed for both indoor and outdoor use, single fold ramps come in 2 to 6 foot lengths. They are primarily used to load power chairs and scooters into vans and SUVs.

Multi-fold Ramps – Featuring a 3-fold design, multi-fold ramps allows you to access steps, vehicles and raised landings. Designed so they can be used both indoors and outside, multi-fold ramps can hold up to 800 pounds.

Van Ramps – Specially designed for easy access to a minivan’s side door, van ramps install easily to the floor of the van. Easy to store and transport,

For a complete selection of portable wheelchair ramps, visit ScooterDirect.com, your source for all mobility products.