Recognising the signs that indicate you may be ready for a wheelchair can be both empowering and reassuring, as it opens doors to improved mobility, independence, and a better quality of life.

Here are ten common signs that may suggest you are ready for a wheelchair, either part-time or all the time. While the thought of using one might initially feel daunting, it’s essential to view it as a tool that can enhance your mobility and provide newfound freedom.

By being aware of these signs, you can make informed decisions about your mobility needs and seek the necessary support to improve your daily living experiences.

Difficulty Walking

Walking has been part of a person's daily life. It may seem easy to do, yet this requires balance, reflexes, sensory, and motor function. This complex process makes some body parts more susceptible to possible impairments due to factors like accidents, disease, weight gain, and lack of exercise. 

Walking problems manifest in pain in the lower extremities, numbness, tingling sensation, imbalance, and stiffness. These symptoms can be brief or long-lasting, depending on their causes. Regardless, using a wheelchair can be a great help for many reasons. Besides resolving mobility problems, wheelchairs can prevent further accidents and injuries. Additionally, wheelchair users experience lesser pain than those who still struggle to walk or use other equipment like crutches and walkers.

Limited endurance

Endurance is not only athletes' concern, but this can be your concern too. It pertains to the ability of the body to sustain an activity even for an extended time. A person's body endurance has its limitations, yet this can cause further problems that can affect movement. Like a piece of ordinary equipment that exceeds its powers, your body can experience more damage if you try to function more on what it is capable of. 

With a wheelchair, a person can conserve energy by using lesser body parts to function. More good news in using this walking equipment is that with some wheelchair exercises, it can help not only with your mobility, but also in gaining more strength and flexibility.  

Chronic pain or joint issues

Chronic pain and joint issues can affect your usual routines like walking and running and are usually caused by diseases relating to bones, muscles, tissues, or cartilage. Aside from that, infectious illnesses like mumps, previous joint injuries, overused muscles, suffering from depression and anxiety, and being overweight can also trigger joint issues. 

Joint pain can affect the functions not only on the affected part but also in your mobility. In some cases, a wheelchair is needed, especially if the pain worsens and affects your overall health. People with chronic pain often find they only need to use a wheelchair on the days their condition is especially bad. On days where their mobility is better, a wheelchair isn’t needed and this a manageable option for some chronic pain sufferers. 

Muscle weakness

Muscle weakness may sound like a common problem caused by tough workouts and even aging. If it becomes persistent, an underlying health condition can be another factor to watch out for. 

In the process, voluntary muscles function as your brain sends signals through the spinal cords and nerves up to the muscle itself. If these connections between these are injured or affected by an illness, your muscles will not be able to contract normally, causing weakness in the muscles. 

Assistive devices like wheelchairs may not help resolve muscle weakness but can also save you from its worsening effects. Not only can it help you reduce the possible pain muscle weakness gives you, but it can also lessen its impact. It can also help you to experience lesser fatigue and stress because of moving. 

Neurological disorders

Neurological disorders directly affect a person's brain, nerves, and spinal cord. 

Common neurological disorders include:

• Epilepsy
• Alzheimer’s 
• Stroke
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Motor Neurone Disease

The nervous system transmits signals between the brain and rest of the body, meaning it controls how we see, speak, think, move and many other functions. If any of the parts of the nervous system are affected by conditions like Alzheimer's disease, the normal functions of these parts will be affected as well.

Some neurological conditions can cause you to experience mobility issues like difficulty in walking.

In many cases, a wheelchair can assist in the process of recovery after a stroke. 

Neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis are progressive, so having a wheelchair can give you peace of mind that you have support when you need it. Many wheelchairs can be modified and have accessories added as your needs change. Specialised wheelchairs can help with conditions such as blood circulation and back pain which can be symptoms of a neurological disorder.

Balance issues

If you feel dizzy or as if your surroundings are spinning, unsteady, experience a floating sensation, or vision changes, chances are you are facing problems in your balance. Issues in balance are another common problem relating to a person's movement. One of its implications is mobility since your physical function is harmed. Regardless of the cause, balance issues can trigger worse scenarios like accidents and injuries which can even lead to various complications. 

Using a wheelchair can be life changing if you have a hard time moving because of balance problems. It can prevent you from possible accidents or injuries, which can sometimes lead to complications. Losing balance when walking or moving is sometimes not serious, but the effects when not addressed can lead to further harm.

Post-surgery recovery

Major operations such as abdominal and spine surgeries require substantial recovery after the procedure.When this happens, you cannot do your usual activities such as walking for a particular time. Post-surgery recovery is not bliss for everyone, yet this is needed to regain your lost strength. Along with this, the limitations in your body, especially in your mobility after the surgery, need time to adjust as well.

If you have undergone one of these procedures, mobility devices like a wheelchair should be your best friend at this time. It will aid you in the recovery process that your body needs after the operation. Also, it will help you to still move despite the limitations to your body as it heals.

Injuries

Also known as physical trauma, injuries are basically damage to some or the whole body parts because of an external force. Generally speaking, these are the harms we experience due to accidents, falls, and hits. Unfortunately, millions of people are injured every year, ranging from minor ones to those that are life-threatening. One of the major changes that happen during injuries is mobility issues. Some injuries can cause reduced to total loss of mobility, depending on the range of the motion of the joints.

When left unaddressed, the effects of an injury can lead to bone and joint disorders and weakness. If you suffer from injuries, a wheelchair can help you regain strength and lessen stress and fatigue. 

Progressive conditions

Progressive disorders are illnesses or medical conditions that get worse over time. When the disease is stable or in remission, a person experiences relief. But the condition and its effects are still evident. If you experience osteoarthritis, Parkinson's disease, and chronic pancreatitis, you have a progressive disorder.  

Unfortunately, these conditions result from declining overall health or failure to function well. When the worse effects occur, usual functions and movements are also affected. It can sometimes or often result in mobility problems. 

Wheelchairs may not help cure the effects of progressive disorders, but they can aid you in addressing your mobility because of these conditions. 

Safety concerns

You should never compromise your safety, yet this is often one of the most neglected things in our daily lives. You may think that safety is just about preventing accidents, but other things that can affect your safety includes stress, distractions, and even your health. Not looking after your personal safety can lead to worse scenarios, risking your physical functions and overall health. 

If you are at risk of safety-related issues like aging or medical conditions, this is also an evident sign that you need a wheelchair. By taking precautions, you can ensure your own safety and those around you. 

Conclusion

There are many reasons a person may need a wheelchair, from physical abilities to the need of support. Understanding the signs will enable you to be proactive towards your own health. 

The journey of accepting a wheelchair as a part of life can be a big hurdle to face, and seeking guidance from healthcare professionals can make the transition smoother and more empowering. 

A healthcare professional will help you in assessing your mobility needs and choose the right wheelchair for your condition and lifestyle. 

Overall a wheelchair can be a huge step in helping you gain back your independence. Think of a wheelchair not as something you are bound to, but a tool to aid you with your daily life. With various wheelchair types to choose from, you can definitely find a wheelchair that is unique to you and aids your freedom and independence. 

 You can check out our range of wheelchairs for elderly and custom wheelchairs for multiple sclerosis and other progressive conditions.

We also have a wide range of wheelchair accessories to help make the transition to a wheelchair easier..

Contact us today to book in your free wheelchair assessment.