What is a multifunctional wheelchair?

With a multifunctional wheelchair, many (“multi”) changes and adjustments can be made to the wheelchair. The torso position can be changed with a seat tilt. Furthermore, a headrest can be fitted to the adjustable backrest to create a stable head position. The legs can also be raised and their position changed by modifying the footrests.

Multifunctional wheelchairs are also known as “care wheelchairs”. These wheelchairs are primarily used for positioning and caring for seriously ill patients who are no longer able to control the wheelchair themselves (e.g. patients after traumatic brain injury, stroke and other brain diseases).

This is the critical aspect of multifunctional wheelchairs for ALS: it is not technically possible for the patient to change the seat tilt or the footrests themselves, even though ALS patients have the cognitive ability to do so. All position changes (seat tilting or changing the leg position) must be carried out by relatives or nursing staff. In terms of patient autonomy, multifunctional wheelchairs are only suitable for people with ALS in certain constellations (e.g. in palliative care). Multifunctional wheelchairs have largely been replaced by indoor power wheelchairs, which allow independent changes to the seat tilt (seat tilt), seat height (lifting function) and wheelchair orientation (driving function).