Measuring a wheelchair correctly: seat width, doors and car

A wheelchair needs to fit the person sitting in it and pass through their home. You can take the measurements for an initial choice with a tape measure. The four measuring steps in this guide and the manufacturer data show you how seat width relates to overall width.

What helps with measuring

• a tape measure or a folding rule,

• a second person to read and note the values,

• a firm seat without armrests or, if available, the current wheelchair,

• the clothes usually worn in everyday life.

In its guide to fitting manual wheelchairs, the manufacturer Sunrise Medical recommends carrying out the fitting in the wheelchair itself wherever possible.

Step 1: determine the seat width

Seat width affects the fit and the width of the whole wheelchair.

1. The person sits upright on a firm seat.

2. Measure the widest point across the pelvis and thighs. As an aid, you can hold a book upright against the body on the left and right and measure the distance between the books.

3. Add 2 to 4 cm as a guide, which is about 1 to 2 cm on each side. On each side there should be room for a hand held upright between the pelvis and the side panel, with the thighs resting against the side panel.

4. If two seat widths come into question, check the fit and compare the overall widths of the specific versions.

Wheelchair seat width: a guide table

Use the table to make an initial selection, then check the seat width by sitting in the wheelchair. The Ecotec 2G, Litec 2G and Litec 2G Plus come in 38, 42, 46 and 50 cm. For the Rotec and Freetec, you can choose from 38, 41, 43, 45, 48, 50, 52 and 54 cm; for the Multitec, from 39, 44 and 49 cm.

Seat depth and lower leg length

Measure the seat depth and lower leg length too for a comfortable fit. To measure seat depth, sit upright, measure from the front edge of the backrest to the back of the knee and subtract 3 to 6 cm, roughly two to three finger widths. Then check that the seat edge does not touch the back of the knee. With shoes on and the knee bent at a right angle, measure the lower leg from the back of the knee to the sole of the foot. According to the Sunrise Medical guide, the footplate should be at least 3 cm above the ground.

On the Litec 2G Plus, the Freetec and the Multitec the seat depth can be adjusted. The values are listed on the respective product page.

Back height, armrests and seat cushion

Sitting upright, measure the back height from the seat surface to just below the shoulder blades, as described in the Sunrise guide. Your shoulder blades must be free to move when you propel yourself; if you need more upper body support, a higher backrest may be necessary. Have the height assessed for your individual needs.

Following the Permobil instructions, measure the armrest height from the seat surface to the underside of the forearm, with your elbow bent at a right angle and your shoulder relaxed. Your forearms should rest without you raising your shoulders.

A seat cushion raises your sitting height. This changes the effective armrest and back height and the distance from the seat surface to the footrests. Put the intended cushion in place before measuring, and sit on it to take the measurements. The guide “Types of wheelchairs” explains which design suits your support needs.

Step 2: how wide is a wheelchair?

The frame, drive wheels and push rims add to the seat width on each side. In the sketch above, A is the seat width, B the overall width of the wheelchair and C the usable width of the door.

According to the manufacturer, the drive wheelchairs at saneq are 18 to 21 cm wider than their seats without a drum brake. For Ecotec 2G, Rotec, Litec 2G, Litec 2G Plus and Freetec with a drum brake, add 20 to 23.5 cm to the seat width.

Values for the Ecotec 2G, Rotec, Litec 2G, Litec 2G Plus and Freetec models according to the manufacturer drive. The Multitec multifunction wheelchair is built differently: with seat widths of 39, 44 and 49 cm it measures 60, 65 and 70 cm without and 65, 70 and 75 cm with a drum brake.

A drum brake makes the wheelchair wider and heavier

An attendant can operate the drum brake using the levers on the push handles, for example on slopes or when stopping. This adds 2 to 2.5 cm to the width of the Ecotec 2G, Rotec, Litec 2G, Litec 2G Plus and Freetec, and 5 cm to the Multitec. Weight increases by 1 to 2 kg.

A drum brake is particularly useful if someone regularly pushes you, for example on sloping paths. If you mostly propel yourself, you usually do not need one.

Step 3: check doors and narrow passages

With each door fully open, measure the narrowest gap between the door leaf and the opposite frame. Compare this usable width C with the overall width of the wheelchair. Check every route you use each day:

• the front door of the building and the flat,

• bathroom and toilet,

• lift, balcony and terrace door,

• corridors with corners where the wheelchair has to turn.

The Swiss standard SIA 500 for barrier-free buildings specifies a usable width of at least 80 cm for doors in residential buildings. Existing doors can be narrower, so measure on site and check how much room you have to turn and open the door.

Step 4: weight and space in the car

If you often lift the wheelchair into a car, compare its weight: there are over 9 kg between the lightest and heaviest folding wheelchairs in the range.

The model’s weight depends on seat width and the drum brake. On all six, you can remove the large rear wheels without tools and load them separately from the frame. This reduces the weight you lift at once.

How to check the boot

Folding wheelchairs are around 28 to 32 cm wide when folded. To check the boot, you also need the height and length of the chair as transported, either folded or without wheels. Measure the width and height of the boot opening and the usable space inside, then compare these with the transport dimensions of the wheelchair. If the product page does not list them, ask us for them.

The wheelchairs at a glance

Your measurements at a glance

Who pays? Information on cost coverage by the Invalidity Insurance (IV), the OASI and other bodies can be found on our Wheelchairs page in the section “Who pays for a wheelchair in Switzerland?”.

Frequently asked questions about wheelchair width

Still unsure? Our team is happy to advise you by phone on +41 56 511 60 99, Monday to Friday between 8 am and 5 pm.

Sources: dimensions and weights from the manufacturer data of drive, checked in September 2026. Measuring rules based on the Sunrise Medical guide “Kleiner Leitfaden zur individuellen Anpassung eines manuellen Rollstuhls” (in German). Door width according to the SIA 500 standard, as cited by hindernisfreie-architektur.ch.