Are you unsure whether to add brakes to your wheelchair? Our experts weigh in.

When it comes to wheelchair accessories, brakes often spark strong opinions. Some wheelchair users view them as an essential safety feature – critical for transfers, inclines and everyday stability. Others argue that brakes are an unnecessary add-on or even a hindrance, as they add extra weight, cost and maintenance challenges without always providing meaningful benefit.

Like many aspects of wheelchair design, the usefulness of brakes depends heavily on the individual, their environment and their day-to-day activities.

This ongoing debate highlights an important question: are wheelchair brakes a must-have or simply an optional accessory?

To explore the issue from multiple angles, we asked a group of colleagues and wheelchair users to share their experiences, perspectives and advice. Bob Lujano, NCHPAD Expert Information Specialist, Dr. Jereme Wilroy, NCHPAD Behavioral Health Expert, and Mark McColl, member of Lakeshore Foundation Board of Directors, share their thoughts and experiences below.

Personal Experience

Do you use brakes on your wheelchair? Why or why not?

Lujano: I do not use brakes. I only trust my arms to stop my chair. I also like that I don’t have to worry about the brake maintenance. I feel that it is an unnecessary added cost. I’m a quad amputee above the knee and below the elbow, and I don’t trust brakes to cooperate. I don’t want to have to grab something and need to unlock a brake while occupied.

Wilroy: Yes, I do use brakes on my wheelchair because there are plenty of times when I want my chair to stay still, so I can be stationary and do something with my hands, like eat food or reach up into a cabinet.

McColl: Yes.  For a variety of reasons, including making my transfers easier/less risky (especially in situations where my chair is likely to roll away), keeping me from rolling away from a table or desk while working/eating, keeping my wheelchair in place in my van after I transfer into the driver’s seat, etc.

Have brakes been helpful in your daily life, or have they caused more inconvenience?

Wilroy: They have definitely been helpful in daily life. I often find myself using my brakes for various tasks, whether it’s using the SkiErg machine or putting on the brakes to reach something in the cabinet. However, I don’t need my breaks to make transfers like most people would assume. I have had some issues with breaks, such as them not collapsing all the way, and then I bang my hand on them, or I have to take time to realign them.

McColl: While they have been very helpful, it is also a pain to have to constantly lock and unlock them.  

Safety and Independence

Do you feel brakes increase your sense of safety during transfers or on uneven ground?

Lujano: No, I don’t feel an added level of security with brakes. I prefer my wheels to be entirely in my control. I’ve learned over the years how to navigate uneven ground or other environments safely and effectively. For example, if I park on a sloped street or hill, I can wedge my chair in between the car and the door for a secure transfer.

Wilroy: I don’t think brakes are needed for any of my transfers. It actually helps to be able to move the chair around while transferring.

McColl: Yes.

How much do brakes factor into your ability to feel independent and secure?

Lujano: They actually have the opposite effect for me personally.

Wilroy: I think brakes do factor into my ability to feel secure because if I’m sitting on a floor that has a slope to it and I’m trying to eat food or something, then it helps for me not to roll around. Or if I’m teaching a class and I don’t want to keep grabbing my wheels to keep me in place, then brakes are nice. However, I don’t think that they are necessary for me to be independent.

McColl: Significantly.

Functionality vs. Burden

Do you see brakes as essential, or more of an extra feature that doesn’t always justify the weight, cost or maintenance?

Lujano: Yes, it is a burden for me. I use a folding chair, and sometimes the brakes can be easily damaged on these kinds of chairs. I also need my chair to be as compact as possible when folded. Brakes can interfere with that process.

Wilroy: I don’t necessarily think brakes are essential, but I think they are super functional. And I do believe the added weight is justified, along with the cost and the maintenance. The maintenance is not too challenging for me because I don’t need them to work perfectly. I just need them to work a little bit.

McColl: Essential.

Have you ever experienced mechanical issues with brakes that made them more of a hassle than a help?

Wilroy: The issue that comes up from time to time and is happening now is that my brakes don’t stay in the hidden position, and they fall open while I’m putting my wheels back on. So, I can’t get my wheel all the way back on without moving it, or I’ll go to push and I’ll bang my finger on the brake because it’s come out.

McColl: I’ve certainly encountered issues, but because, for me, they are essential, the issues can’t cross the “more of a hassle than a help” threshold.

Context and Environment

In what situations do you think brakes are most useful (e.g., outdoors, public spaces, steep terrain)?

Wilroy: Brakes are definitely most useful in and around my home. If I’m reaching into a cabinet or over to a counter, or if I’m sitting at a table and the floor is uneven, and I’m rolling away a little bit, that’s where they’re most useful.

McColl: All.

Are there times or settings where brakes are less necessary, or even get in the way?

Wilroy: They can certainly get away in the outside spaces, where I’m just pushing around or navigating around a public space.

McColl: Level ground or slow surface (carpet, rug, grass).

Looking Ahead

If you could redesign or improve wheelchair brakes, what changes would you make to them?

Lujano: If I did have brakes that could help in reaching and grabbing things in, I would need to have both my arms free. However, once I grab hold of the item,I would not be able to undo my brakes to push.

Wilroy: I would possibly redesign brakes in the way Mark McCall did, where you simply tap something or make a gesture and your wheels sort of lock in place. However, with these types of mechanisms, it adds significantly more weight to the chair than simply having folding brakes.

McColl: Funny you should ask. Clay Brackett and I hold a patent on an automatic wheelchair lock design that we developed several years ago. We were in the process of perfecting the prototype when COVID hit, and haven’t resumed work on it (yet!). Basically, small, wheel-mounted microcontrollers use the handrims as touch sensors. They wirelessly transmit both touch and movement data to an axle-mounted microcontroller, which automatically operates the axle-mounted locks. Essentially, when both hands are off the handrims and the chair is not in motion, the wheelchair is locked. When either handrim is touched, they are unlocked. The system can be paired with your phone via Bluetooth to access additional data (speed, distance traveled, etc.), modes of operation (manual locking, etc.), and user settings (time delay, touch sensitivity, etc.).

Do you think advances in wheelchair design might make traditional brakes obsolete in the future?

Lujano: Voice-activated brakes would be much more helpful for me, and these I would consider.

Wilroy: I do think that potentially, there are some designs where there are disc brakes that could have the technology to easily brake and not brake, and perhaps even be intuitive. However, we typically don’t see this type of advanced technology on manual wheelchairs.

McColl: Hopefully.

Conclusion

The debate over wheelchair brakes reveals a fundamental truth: their utility is entirely a matter of personal preference. For some, brakes are essential for stability or use during tasks. For others, they can be a burden. Ultimately, the decision rests on an individual’s unique needs, environment, and mobility goals, leaving the final choice to be a personal one that prioritizes their unique balance of security and independence. Do your research when selecting a chair, consult with other individuals or professionals and make the best decision for your needs.