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NCHPAD - Building Healthy Inclusive Communities

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Rise in Scooters and Power Wheelchairs Needs to be Offset with Increased Physical Activity


Graph showing Rise in Power Wheelchairs
 Graph showing Rise in Power Wheelchairs
The exhibit hall at the Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America (RESNA) conference in New Orleans last month was bustling with manufacturers of powered wheelchairs and scooters. The value of these assistive technologies in allowing people with disabilities to manage various aspects of their daily lives has had an enormous impact on improving their overall quality of life and independence. Whereas 10 years ago you would occasionally see someone using a scooter or power wheelchair, today it is not uncommon to observe someone using one of these devices almost daily. As shown in the chart below, the use of motorized devices has had a substantial increase over the last decade. According to the FDA, the number of powered mobility devices has grown substantially in the last two decades, especially for the scooter market. The number of name-brand scooters (red line) increased from 14 to 36 (157%) between 1990 and 1999, and from 36 to 123 (242%) between 1999 and 2009. For power wheelchairs (blue line), the number of name-brand chairs rose from 12 to 29 (142%) between 1990 and 1999, and from 29 to 69 (138%) between 1999 and 2009. In total, the number of name-brand power wheelchairs and scooters has increased six-fold, from 26 in 1990 to 192 in 2009.

While powered mobility devices have certainly made it easier for people with disabilities to increase their community ambulation, they may also be playing a role in the rising obesity rates observed in people with disabilities by creating an energy surplus. Not having to push a manual chair or walking short distances with an assistive device (ie, cane, walker) may result in the individual expending less calories per day, leading to a greater storage of body fat. The less someone uses their own muscular system to burn calories the more likely they are to become obese and deconditioned, which can increase their risk of heart disease and diabetes. A few weeks ago we hosted a health promotion workshop for adults with mobility disabilities and one of the participant's combined body weight with the weight of his scooter exceeded the ADA requirement for bus lifts.

As we enter an era where power wheelchairs and scooters become the norm for many younger and older adults with mobility limitations, let's not forget that for every hour spent in a power chair there must be a few minutes of exercise to offset the decline in physical activity. We certainly know how important powered devices are for enhancing the lives of people with disabilities, but we mustn't forget that the reduction in activity could lead to health problems such as deconditioning and obesity if the decline in movement is not offset by increases in physical activity.

 


Please send any questions or comments to Jim Rimmer, NCHPAD Director at jrimmer@uic.edu.


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