Loopwheels can add suspension to a standard, manual wheelchair for a smoother ride with a simple swap of wheels. But what are the actual benefits of having this added suspension?

The innovative in-wheel suspension technology of Loopwheels has been studied and tested both by our team and external researchers – and we have listened to feedback from our customers since 2015, of course! This blog post takes a closer look at what has been found so far and tries to break this down in a simple, easy to read way.

Bumps in the road

Think about a journey you usually take, whether that be to work, to your local shops, or to drop the kids off at school. Throughout that journey, do you usually face potholes, cobbled streets, or kerbs? The answer is probably yes, and if not, there’s probably a similar obstacle that sprang to mind!

That’s because these are common, unavoidable aspects of daily travel, which can have a disproportionately negative impact on people who use wheelchairs. We know from speaking to our customers that these obstacles lead people who use wheelchairs to avoid certain routes or locations altogether. And if not, they can cause pain and discomfort both during travel, and afterwards.

The aim of Loopwheels is to make journeys easier by preventing these common features of daily travel from having such an impact, stopping them from becoming an obstacle and allowing people to travel in comfort. The springs within a Loopwheel will flex when moving over a bump to absorb the shock, rather than this being transferred through the wheels and into the chair.

Watch below to see how Loopwheels made a difference in Pete’s life.

Constant Vibrations

Whilst we have already discussed large, noticeable shocks – the ones that probably made you think about adding suspension to your chair in the first place – there is something else slightly less noticeable, but still extremely important, that Loopwheels can help with.

Travel over any surface leads to vibrations being transferred from the ground into your wheelchair and into your body. This happens especially at your feet, your seat and through the back rest. Over time, exposure to these vibrations can cause harm to the body. That’s why in most countries, health and safety legislation puts limits on workers being exposed to excessive vibration. For example, too much vibration from using machinary, in construction, or demanding good vibration absoprtion in vehicles for long-distance driving.

Researchers use the term Whole Body Vibration to describe the combination of low-level vibrations and larger shocks. There has long been evidence based on a number of different studies that back and neck pain, and fatigue, result from too much exposure to WBV among wheelchair-users. If you’re interested in learning more about this, you can visit our summary of this research here:

So, what does research say about Loopwheels?

As of 2025, independent studies by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh show that by reducing shock and vibrations, in-wheel suspension Loopwheels can improve both comfort and health for wheelchair users who propel manually. They also conclude that Loopwheels are likely to be of even greater benefit for users of power assists and people who often travel over uneven terrain.

This was the result of two independent studies, one published in 2024, and the other in 2025.

2024: The Vibration Study

Effects of In-Wheel Suspension on Whole-Body Vibration and Comfort in Manual Wheelchair Users, Neti et al 2024.

This study tested Loopwheels Urban suspension wheels against standard spoked wheels and Spinergy CLX wheels. They were tested over 9 surfaces by 24 experienced manual wheelchair users with SCI.

Loopwheels were found to reduce Whole Body Vibration at the wheelchair backrest and footrest by 7-10% compared with spoked wheels. The research states that, assuming a person uses their chair for an average of 13 hours per day, this level of vibration-reduction could increase the amount of time a manual wheelchair user can safely push before it becomes hazardous to health.

Because this study was conducted in a laboratory setting, with limited time of exposure and surface types, it did not find any statistically significant differences in ride comfort and concluded that more long-term testing was required to determine effects on health.

The Pain Study: results presented at ISS 2025

Watch the full presentation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqOoG3W6Mes

This study once again tested Loopwheels Urban suspension wheels with 24 manual wheelchair users, however, this time they were tested over 12 weeks in their daily lives and activities.

Participants using Loopwheels reported less pain and a smoother ride.

Results included:

• A decrease in pain interference in daily life.
• Reduced neck pain
• Participants felt fewer bumps and improved shock absorption compared with normal wheelchair wheels.
• Vibrations from daily wheelchair use were reduced by 35%, while shock exposure dropped by 50%
• WBV levels fell to levels fell below hazardous thresholds defined by International Standard Organization (ISO) 2631

The main conclusions from this research are:

1. In-wheel suspension is an option to consider to support individuals who experience neck/back pain with propulsion
2. Loopwheels could be a very good option for users of power assists and those that spend time on outdoor terrain.

It is important to mention that participants of the study reported that Loopwheels were heavier, and that the slightly higher rolling resistance meant propulsion costs for manual wheelchair users. This is important to consider if you regularly transfer your wheels and chair manually into a vehicle, and if you always manually propel. The benefits of reduced pain and fatigue are balanced against these factors.

Overall, Loopwheels offer a simple solution to potential risks faced daily by wheelchair users by adding suspension to a wheelchair. This added suspension has been proven to reduce the impact of shocks and exposure to vibration, reducing pain and fatigue.

For more information about each study, please visit our Research Evidence and Studies page.