Wheelchairs; Designed Primarily For Use by an Individual with A Mobility Disability
Wheelchairs are chairs with wheels, used when walking is difficult or impossible due to injury, illness, disability, and/or problems related to old age. They are often used for mobility purpose by an individual who is unable to walk or disabled person. There have been different types of wheelchairs designed ever since the first commercially produced wheelchair. They have come a long way since their humble beginnings as simple chairs for mobility-impaired individuals. Now available in nearly every design and style, wheelchairs offer improved functionality and improved ease of use to disabled individuals.
According to the “Coherent Market Insights” Global Industry Insights, Trends, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis of Wheelchairs Market.
A power-assisted wheelchair uses a manual chair frame and replaces the rear wheels with battery-powered motors. The floating rim design senses the pressure of the user and activates the motors proportionately. This results in a wheelchair with the convenience of a manual chair and the braking power of an electric wheelchair. An attendant-propelled wheelchair is most commonly found in public venues, hospitals, and large institutions. It is usually constructed of steel, but the added weight is not as important since the user does not have to self-propel.
There are also automatic stair climbing wheelchairs that are designed for those who have limited extremity mobility conditions associated with multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, or spinal cord injuries. This type of wheelchair allow users to move in a variety of positions such as standing, reclining, being elevated, and being lowered to the ground. Wheelchair with stair-climbing ability is major requirement for those suffering from walking dysfunction. It can go up and down stairs independently and smoothly.
Wheelchairs allow individuals with limited mobility to still lead an active lifestyle. Wheeled mobility devices, which include manual and power wheelchairs are commonly used by older adults. Thus, there is an increasing demand for wheelchairs around the world. An estimated 1.5 million people in the United States use manual wheelchairs, according to the National Health Interview Survey on Disability. Today, more than 46 million people age 65 and older living in the U.S., and the number is expected to reach around 90 million by 2050.
