• Question: What materials are used for wheelchairs and crutches?

    Asked by CHUBBY CHIPMUNK to Elizabeth, James, Martin, Martin, Rob on 10 Mar 2015.
    • Photo: James Coombs OBrien

      James Coombs OBrien answered on 10 Mar 2015:

      What an interesting question.

      Well, you want them to be light (so you can move them easily) but also strong (so they don’t get damaged). They tend to be made out metals like steel or aluminium which is very strong but quite heavy. There are newer ones made out of sometime called carbon fibre (like supercars are made out of) which is light and strong but extremely expensive since it takes a lot of effort to make.

      So they are made out of a lot of different stuff, but usually metals.

      Hope I answered your question!

    • Photo: Martin Wieczysty

      Martin Wieczysty answered on 10 Mar 2015:

      Old crutches, wheelchairs and artificial limbs (hands feet) were made of wood and brass – this was because people were comfortable using this material and could make the items in different sizes quite easily.
      Modern crutches are made of steel or aluminium – (steel is about 3 times heavier). Did you watch any of the Paralympics? These games have athletes who are less able bodied – they may have been born without a limb, or lost one. One of the athletes called Jonnie Peacock had lost his leg due to Meningitis, but managed to run 100 meters in 10.9 seconds – he used a special leg made of carbon fiber (a new material developed by scientists that is very light and very strong).
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonnie_Peacock

    • Photo: Elizabeth Cooper

      Elizabeth Cooper answered on 11 Mar 2015:

      crutches are made of either wood, aluminium or steel depending on which ones you have. The only problem with wood is it easily breaks compared to metal!

      The majority or wheelchairs are made out of aluminium or steel. Wheelchair tyres are normally made out of rubber.

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