# Wheelchair: Different effort for different methods of propulsion **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 4, 2019, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheelchair-different-effort-for-different-methods-of-propulsion/842974 "2019-11-04T02:26:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheelchair-different-effort-for-different-methods-of-propulsion/842974/1 "2019-11-04T02:26:44Z")
The effort to move my fat ass in a wheelchair thirty metres should be the same regardless of how I do it, the traditional way using my arms alone, “walking” it using my feet alone, or pulling it along using the handrails that line the corridors. It turns out the traditional way is the hardest by far while to pull myself is the easiest. Whyzat? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheelchair-different-effort-for-different-methods-of-propulsion/842974/2 "2019-11-04T02:36:58Z")
You’re using different muscles for each. Apparently, your rail-pulling muscles are stronger than the others. In principle, the amount of effort should also depend on the speed, but the speed differences are probably small enough that muscle effects would dominate. ---
**Author:** ![Grave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@Grave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grave)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheelchair-different-effort-for-different-methods-of-propulsion/842974/3 "2019-11-04T16:25:07Z")
Speaking from experience, **Chronos** is probably correct Were you in the same chair each time to tried this? Chairs will often have different tires, rim sizes, widths and (only true if this is not your chair but one provided in a facility) subtle biases due to the way it has been used. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheelchair-different-effort-for-different-methods-of-propulsion/842974/4 "2019-11-04T16:49:30Z")
Same POS chair provided by the facility. Needs a lube job all around but left front caster doesn’t want to caster. I asked that they grease it but they probably squirted WD40 in it to loosen the old grease. It’s better but not good and a bitch to turn. It generally drives like it has four flat tires. ---
**Author:** ![Grave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@Grave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grave)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheelchair-different-effort-for-different-methods-of-propulsion/842974/5 "2019-11-04T17:30:11Z")
Replied with anecdotes in **General Questions** without realizing. Will not reply further ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheelchair-different-effort-for-different-methods-of-propulsion/842974/6 "2019-11-04T19:36:39Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > The effort to move my fat ass in a wheelchair thirty metres should be the same regardless of how I do it, the traditional way using my arms alone, “walking” it using my feet alone, or pulling it along using the handrails that line the corridors. It turns out the traditional way is the hardest by far while to pull myself is the easiest. Whyzat? Why would you think this? Your feet (legs) are much larger muscles than your arms and your body has been conditioned over the 60-whatever years of your life to propel your body with those large muscles. I actually think the railing pulling method is easier for you simply because its a smoother, more even-flowing straight movement, much less cumbersome than a traditional hitch n’ push with wheels/rims down at your side. If you used the chair long enough, you’d get _much_ more streamlined and proficient (as well as strong) at pushing the chair. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheelchair-different-effort-for-different-methods-of-propulsion/842974/7 "2019-11-05T01:39:04Z")
As I recall, the extensor muscles for your elbow are only about half as strong as the flexor muscles, and the same for torgue. In other words: it’s harder to push the wheels than to pull the chair. ---
**Author:** ![brossa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brossa/32/3040_2.png) [@brossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brossa)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheelchair-different-effort-for-different-methods-of-propulsion/842974/8 "2019-11-05T03:10:34Z")
There are various wheelchair designs that use a rowing mechanic to propel the chair forward; an example is the [Rowheels](https://www.rowheels.com/videos/). There are others that involve ratcheting levers that work on the pull or push stroke. While the ‘pull to go forward’ mechanism uses a stronger set of muscles (at least for new users), it does tend to pull the user forward in the chair, away from the support of the backrest. If you have the core strength to counter this, then it can be more efficient, but other folks might need to be buckled into the chair with shoulder or chest belts to keep them from pitching forward. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2019, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheelchair-different-effort-for-different-methods-of-propulsion/842974/9 "2019-11-06T02:27:22Z")
No need for a fancy chair. I made my first unauthorized steps to using my walker tonight. Seems that the second shift is unaware of what I’m allowed to do without a therapist present, which is nothing. I can see me standing by the end of the week. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2019, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheelchair-different-effort-for-different-methods-of-propulsion/842974/10 "2019-11-06T03:15:58Z")
You better be careful. Falling would be bad. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2019, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheelchair-different-effort-for-different-methods-of-propulsion/842974/11 "2019-11-07T04:32:36Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > No need for a fancy chair. I made my first unauthorized steps to using my walker tonight. Seems that the second shift is unaware of what I’m allowed to do without a therapist present, which is nothing. I can see me standing by the end of the week. IMHO, the first shift wants you to stay down so that you don’t get in the way. Lung congestion and dying of pneumonia would be less trouble than falling down and injuring yourself, or even needing to be lifted. Perhaps second shift isn’t as busy: for whatever reason they often seem to be less concerned with stopping you from getting better. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2019, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheelchair-different-effort-for-different-methods-of-propulsion/842974/12 "2019-12-04T19:27:30Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Why would you think this? Your feet (legs) are much larger muscles than your arms and your body has been conditioned over the 60-whatever years of your life to propel your body with those large muscles. I actually think the railing pulling method is easier for you simply because its a smoother, more even-flowing straight movement, much less cumbersome than a traditional hitch n’ push with wheels/rims down at your side. > > If you used the chair long enough, you’d get _much_ more streamlined and proficient (as well as strong) at pushing the chair. If I’m sitting in a regular wheeled office chair and try to propel myself forward by pulling with my feet, it’s pretty tough. There are some large, strong (ish) muscles in my legs, but they aren’t designed for that purpose. If, on the other hand, I turn around backward and _push_ with my feet: well, I can’t see too well, but it’s a LOT easier to do. From a pure physics standpoint, the amount of work done is the same (moving x pounds y feet). So: going into IMHO territory, I think that in general it does have a lot to do with whether you’re doing something in a pattern that the muscles are more used to / better designed for, or something totally outside the muscles’ original intention. I’ve never been in a wheelchair, but I can see how the movements you do to self-propel are very different from anything arms naturally do. And I can see that rail-pulling would be more intuitive and make better use of your arms’ natural movement patterns.