Wheelchairs & Arthritis: What Makes Life Easier (and What Doesn’t)

Arthritis can turn everyday movements into painful struggles. For many, walking becomes too difficult — and using a wheelchair might seem like the next unwanted step.

But even in a wheelchair, arthritis continues to affect your hands, shoulders, and back. Painful joints, poor posture, and lack of support can make things worse, not better.

If the wheelchair’s set up properly — with seating that’s kinder to sore joints, better positioning, and controls that don’t hurt to use — it can ease pain, help your posture, and keep you going longer. This page will show you how.

Manual or electric — what's easier on the joints

Manual chairs are fine if your arms still have some go in them. Some lightweight ones are easier to push — and if they’ve got handrims with decent grip, you won’t wear your fingers out as fast. Thing is, even the best one still needs effort. And wrists and shoulders don’t always like that kind of work every day.

Powered chairs are less bother. If gripping’s hard or your hands swell up, you won’t get far pushing a manual anyway. Some powered chairs don’t need much to get going — a light push on a joystick, or for some folks, even just a head tilt or a puff of air is enough to move them along. You save your energy for what matters.

Cushions and sitting right

Look, most of the cushions they give you with a chair are just there to tick a box. Foam ones flatten out before you know it. The blow-up ones? Always either too soft or half-deflated when you need them solid. The gel and memory foam — both are miles excellent. They don’t collapse under you and they help stop that weird slide where you end up hunched or crooked after a while. You need something that spreads the weight, not presses it into the same sore spot all day.

And if your back’s bothering you, which let’s be honest, it probably is — get a backrest that actually does something. Bit of shape, bit of support where it counts. Not just for show.

Controls and brakes that won’t fight you

If your fingers swell or your grip's a bit dodgy, you already know the standard stuff isn’t made for hands like yours. Those tiny joysticks and hard-to-press buttons? They are a nightmare when your hands are not working properly. Just not practical. You can get padded joysticks that don’t need much movement, or controls you barely have to touch. And if your hands are really done, there are chin setups, breath controls — all sorts. Don’t think that stuff’s just for other people. It exists for a reason.

Brakes can be switched too. Loop styles or longer levers make life easier when squeezing isn’t on the cards. A lot of powered wheelchairs stop on their own when you let go — ideal if your hands are hit and miss.

Whatever setup you go with, just make sure you can stop it safely. Hurting yourself every time you brake doesn’t make sense, and there are options that’ll work better without asking your joints to suffer.

Getting in and out without a battle

Transfers are where things go wrong. Too many try to lift or twist in ways their joints can’t handle anymore.

If you have stiff hips or knees try using a slide board. You sit, slide across, done. No lifting. For some people, a stand-pivot works — you put a bit of weight through your legs, then shift and turn to where you need to go. If even that’s too much use hoists. Ceiling ones, mobile ones — doesn’t matter as long as you’re safe.

Pain when moving’s usually a sign to stop. Don’t push through. There’s other ways.

Keeping it going — the chair, not just you

A bit of maintenance goes a long way. Check the tyres — if they’re flat pushing gets harder. Check the brakes — especially if your grip’s not great. Power chairs need charging so don’t forget to top it up overnight.

Once a week wipe things down. A bit of oil on the moving parts. Check the cushion hasn’t sagged or torn. Once a year get someone to service it. You don’t want a breakdown halfway through a shop run.

Getting help from the NHS, council or charities

Most of the time, the NHS will sort you out with a chair — it’ll work, sure, but don’t expect much more than the basics. If you’ve got arthritis in your hands, back, shoulders, wherever — and especially if you’re dealing with pain every day — chances are that standard chair just won’t do the job. You’ll probably need extras. Different controls, better support, stuff that actually makes life a bit easier. That’s when it gets tricky.

Best place to start is your GP — get them to send you to an occupational therapist. They’re the ones who actually understand this stuff. If you’ve got a job, or want to get back to one, look into Access to Work. It can help, even if nobody tells you about it. Councils might offer something too, though it really depends who picks up the phone that day. And don’t forget charities — Versus Arthritis, Lions, even local ones. Ask around. Push if you need to.

Look at These Before Buying any Wheelchair

Ask yourself:

• Do you feel pain when you sit in?

• Can you drive or brake it without struggling?

• Can you get in or out of it without any problem?

• Will it fit in your house?

• If your condition gets worse will this still work?

It’s easy to say yes to the first one they offer, but you might regret it later.