Wheelchair ramps and accessories for a wheelchair are two very important considerations for a person confined to a wheelchair. When it’s impossible or nearly impossible for a person to get out of a wheelchair, the ramp they use and the accessories they have attached to their wheelchair can make a difficult situation seem do-able.

When a wheelchair is necessary, it can be assumed that the person sitting in it probably has great difficulty reaching things, carrying belongings, shading him or herself from the sun, and even holding an open container of food or drink. Knowing this, wheelchair manufacturers have come up with plenty of solutions to ease these difficulties.

There are many wheelchair accessory choices. Adding some or many of these accessories can help a person who is in a wheelchair become more independent and can even boost their self-esteem because they will be able to take care of more things by themselves and for themselves.

For starters, there are many transportable wheelchair ramps available. Portable wheelchair ramps can allow people who are confined to a wheelchair the ability to get in and out of a vehicle, up a curb or step, over a difficult spot in the sidewalk, or over the threshold of a building’s door(s). Portable wheelchair ramps can help a person feel more comfortable and confident in traveling to new places.

Similarly, wheelchair accessories can also provide people with a new sense of freedom. Some currently available accessories are: carrying bags, baskets, cup holders, and sun shade canopies. If reputable brands of these accessories are purchased, it can be almost guaranteed that none of them will affect the workability of a wheelchair, and will not interfere with any of the wheelchair’s movements.

There are also other wheelchair accessories available that make using a wheelchair much easier. For example, the wheelchair’s wheels. A wheelchair probably comes with 'standard' wheels, but can be enhanced with special wheels that give the wheelchair a more comfortable and smoother ride and can make the wheelchair easier to push.

Wheelchairs that run on batteries may lose their power after a while, even if the batteries are re-chargeable. A wheelchair accessory available for purchase is a battery pack that ensures that when a wheelchair begins to lose its power, new batteries are readily available.

Another accessory that can be added to most wheelchairs is new caster forks. New caster forks can make sure that a wheelchair’s suspension is smooth and that the rider feels fewer bumps. A caster fork works like a shock absorber and can make the person much more comfortable.

Wheelchair ramps can also have accessories added to them. The most popular addition to a wheelchair ramp is handrails. Handrails are a good way to ensure those who are not in wheelchairs and still using the ramp to enter a building do not lose their balance and fall off the ramp. They are also good for a person who needs a little bit of extra support climbing up or down a ramp.

One final accessory that can be installed in a car, on a door, or on a wall is a U-shaped bar that a person can hold onto to gain support when going from a sitting to a standing position. The bar provides leverage and gives a person a "helping hand."

Accessories can be added to both wheelchair ramps and wheelchairs themselves and will prove to enhance these two pieces of equipment. Accessories add to the usability of a ramp and a wheelchair because they give a person confined to a wheelchair more freedom and independence and they simply make life a bit simpler.