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A manual wheelchair is suitable for those who can push themselves, using rims on the back wheels. In the UK, a manual wheelchair costs anything from a couple of hundred to a few thousand pounds and they are generally made from light but durable metals such as aluminium, titanium and steel. Carbon fibre is also increasingly being used.

There are two types of manual wheelchair: rigid frame and folding frame. Both types of manual wheelchair have brakes that can be applied to stop the chair rolling away when stationary. Arm and footrests are usually adjustable and often detachable. The standard size of the rear wheels is 24 inches, with rubber tyres, whereas the castors at the front tend to be either rubber or plastic and are substantially smaller.

Rigid frame manual chairs are light and durable, with a folding back and sometimes quick-release wheels. They have an advantage over the folding frame manual wheelchair type in that they fit the body better and consequently are easier to push and offer better performance. Furthermore it is relatively easy to configure and adjust a rigid frame manual wheelchair, making it more versatile. Another benefit is that rigid frame manual chairs enable their users to transfer more easily to a car than do folding chairs. They are especially suitable for the younger and more active with good upper body strength.

Folding frame wheelchairs are designed to be collapsible using an x-frame mechanism. They are heavier and require more maintenance since there are more moving parts. Their main advantage over rigid frame chairs is functionality – as they can be folded, they are easier to store and transport when empty. This attribute makes them ideal for cases where a wheelchair is useful to have on the premises for infrequent use.