Wheelchairs for Tall People

Choosing a chair that fits a tall body is only half the job. The other half is making daily life work around it: getting knees under the desk, reaching the kitchen worktop, fitting through the door to the downstairs toilet, climbing into the car and finding somewhere to keep a longer chair when it is not in use. Tall people often discover these problems only after the chair has arrived.

This page looks at everyday living with wheelchairs for tall people, room by room and task by task. It offers practical ideas for adapting routines and spaces, and points out the chair features that make the biggest difference.

How Do Tall Wheelchair Users Fit Under a Desk?

Raise the desk or table where you can, rather than lowering the seat too far. Tall users sit with their knees higher, and a seat set high to give long legs room can make that worse. The result is often knees that hit the underside of a table or desk before the user can get close enough to work or eat comfortably.

Chair Features That Help

• Desk-length armrests. Shorter at the front, they let the chair roll in further before the armrest meets the table edge.
• Flip-back or removable armrests. These remove the obstacle altogether when working at a desk.
• Swing-away footrests. Moving the footrests aside can let the feet tuck under the desk.

Changing the Desk Instead

Sometimes the desk is the easier thing to change. A height-adjustable desk, or simply raising a table on blocks, can create the knee clearance a tall user needs. At work, the government’s Access to Work scheme on GOV.UK may be able to help with the cost of equipment or adaptations, so it is worth checking whether you are eligible.

For eating or working away from a table, a lap tray gives a stable surface at the right height; our guide to the wheelchair tray covers the options.

Kitchens: High Reach, Low Reach

Tall users often have an advantage in the kitchen, since long arms reach higher shelves from a seated position. The difficulty tends to be lower down. Reaching into low cupboards or the back of the oven can mean leaning forward from a high seat, which may feel unstable. Pull-out drawers, carousel corner units and moving everyday items to waist height can help.

Worktops are usually set for standing users, and a tall seated user may find them a comfortable height for some jobs. Where knees need to go under the worktop, look at removing a base unit to create a knee recess by the hob or sink.

Do Tall Wheelchair Users Need Wider Doorways?

Not usually wider, but a high backrest or headrest can catch on low frames. Most doorway problems are about width, but tall users with a high back wheelchair or a headrest should also think about height. Low door frames under stairs, in cottages and in loft conversions can catch a headrest or push handles. Check headroom as well as width on any unusual doorway.

A longer chair also needs more room to line up with a doorway, particularly one that opens off a narrow hall. Removing a door, rehanging it to open the other way or fitting offset hinges can all help.

Getting Into and Out of the Car

Transferring with Long Legs

Tall people often find the hardest part of a car transfer is getting their legs in. Sliding the seat right back and reclining it slightly before the transfer gives more room. A transfer board or swivel cushion can make the move smoother. Our guide to wheelchair to car transfer devices in the UK describes the main types.

Loading the Chair

Chairs built for tall users are often longer, with taller backs and longer footrest hangers. Check that the folded chair fits in the boot, or that the user can pull it across into the passenger side if they drive themselves. Quick-release wheels and a fold-down back make loading easier.

Bathrooms and Bedrooms: Transfer Heights

Tall users often find standard toilets and beds too low, which makes transfers harder because they have to push up from a deep squat. Raising the height of the toilet with a seat raiser, or of the bed with raisers or a higher frame, can bring the transfer surface closer to the seat height of the chair. That makes a sideways transfer more level and less effortful.

If bigger changes are needed, such as a level-access shower or widened doors, the NHS page on home adaptations explains how to ask your council for an assessment.

How Do You Store a Wheelchair for a Tall Person?

Fold the backrest if it allows and remove the leg supports before storing it. A chair built for a tall person can be awkward to store. If it lives in a hallway, check it does not block the route when parked. If it folds away, measure the cupboard or corner it will live in with the chair folded and any removable parts detached. Wall hooks for footrests and a storage bag for small parts keep things tidy. Our guide to wheelchair storage has more ideas.

Weather Gear Sized for a Tall Frame

Rain covers, ponchos and blankets are usually cut for an average seated user, and on a tall person they can ride up, leaving knees and shins exposed. Look for longer lengths, or products described as suitable for larger users, and check that they cover the legs down to the footplates without catching in the wheels. Our guide to the wheelchair poncho explains what to look for in a cover that fits properly over a seated body.

Visiting Friends and Family

Home life is easier to control than other people’s houses. Before visiting somewhere new, it helps to ask about steps at the entrance, the width of the door to the toilet and whether there is a firm chair or sofa at a sensible height for a transfer. Low sofas can be especially hard for tall users to get up from.

Some tall users keep a small kit in the car for visits: a folding transfer board, a cushion and a pair of lightweight portable ramps if their chair and the step allow. Hosts are usually glad to move a coffee table or clear a hallway if they know in advance, and a quick message before you set off can save an awkward arrival.

Out and About

Shop counters, cash machines and ticket desks are usually set for standing people or for average seated users. Tall people often find these manageable from a seated position, but tight café tables and cinema spaces can be cramped for long legs. Choosing aisle seats, calling ahead to ask about spaces and carrying a small cushion for comfort can all help.

Choosing a Tall Wheelchair with Daily Life in Mind

When you compare chairs, look beyond the fit of the seat and back. Ask whether the armrests flip back, whether the footrests swing away, how long the chair is overall and how it folds. Think about your desk, your car and the tightest doorway in the house. Our guide to the tall wheelchair covers the seat and frame side of the choice, so you can put the two together.

Small Changes, Big Differences

Living well in a wheelchair as a tall person is rarely about finding one flawless chair. It is about a chair that fits the body, combined with a handful of sensible changes to the home, the car and daily routines. Make a list of the tasks that are awkward today, tackle the easiest first and keep adapting as you learn what works. Ask other tall wheelchair users what has helped them too, because the most useful ideas often come from people who have already solved the same awkward desk, doorway or car.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Seat Depth Does a Tall Person Need in a Wheelchair?

Enough to support most of the thigh while leaving a small gap behind the knee. A wheelchair service or supplier can measure this properly.

Can a Standard Wheelchair Be Adjusted for a Tall User?

Some can, using longer footrest hangers or a taller back. A chair built with a deeper seat usually fits better if the user sits in it every day.

Are Extra Tall Wheelchairs Heavier?

They are often slightly heavier because the frame and seat are larger. Folding and removable parts can help at the car boot.

Where Can a Tall Person Try a Wheelchair?

Ask a mobility shop or the local wheelchair service for a trial. Sit in the chair for long enough to check knee height and back support.