Mobility Aids
Mobility aids, sometimes called mobility devices,
improve mobility by helping you walk or move from place to place if you are disabled, aged, or have an injury.
According to a report from The #UniversityofCalifornia - #DisabilityStatisticsCenter, “Just over 6.8 million
community-resident Americans use assistive devices to help them with mobility.
This group comprises 1.7 million wheelchair or scooter riders and
6.1 million users of other mobility devices, such as #canes, #crutches, and #walkers.”
The items shown here are only a few of the commonly used mobility aids.
There are many more that are used by people with limited mobility including, but not limited to, braces, knee support walkers, artificial limbs, and all of the accessories that are used with #canes, #crutches, #walkers, #rollators, #wheelchairs, and #scooters.
Canes
Canes can help redistribute weight from a lower leg that is weak or painful, improve stability by increasing the base of support, and provide tactile information about the ground to improve balance.
Crutches
A crutch is a mobility aid that transfers weight from the legs to the upper body. It is often used by people who cannot use their legs to support their weight.
Walkers & Rollators
Walkers are frames designed for people who need additional support and stability while walking. Walkers are adjustable to accommodate the height of the user.
Rollators are similar to walkers that have three or four wheels. The major difference between a walker and a rollator is that in addition to the handlebars, frame and wheels, a rollator has a seat.
Wheelchairs & Scooters
A wheelchair is a wheeled mobility device in which the user sits. The device is propelled either manually or by various automated systems.
A mobility scooter is a mobility aid equivalent to a wheelchair but configured like a motor scooter.