Wheelchairs
A wheelchair is a device created for allowing people with disabilities on their legs to move. It allows them to go from place to place, either by themselves or with the help of a caretaker.
A disabled person uses a wheelchair when he or she can’t walk or can only walk a very short distance. This is due to the result of an accident or a medical condition. However, with the help of wheelchairs, a lot of disabled people have re-gained a lot of independence and mobility, and are able to do many activities, like go shopping, get to work, and even play sports. Take Quico Tur for example, who is currently the champion of the Wheelchair Tennis Open Internacional Ergosaude Cup.
Fortunately, nowadays, people with disabilities are taken into account by society more and more. As a result, there are many public buildings and areas which lend wheelchairs to disabled people, like supermarkets. Disabled people can use these wheelchairs and even mobility scooters to buy their groceries with great comfort and ease. Also, a lot of public transportation has gone through many modifications in order to give access to wheelchairs and accommodate them. This way, disabled people have better access and mobility in their communities or cities, which makes them feel better about themselves.
People who use wheelchairs usually develop strong arms, as they use them to move the wheelchair. However, there are people with upper body disabilities who have trouble moving their own wheelchairs, specially when they have to climb a steep ramp. While some disabled people have a nurse or other person who pushes their wheelchairs, this is not an option that all disabled people have. Manufacturers have developed technology solutions to solve this problem by inventing motorized or automatic wheelchairs. These wheelchairs have a small motor which is controlled by a joystick. This allows most wheelchairs users to move their wheelchair even if they have severe high body disabilities.
There are even some models that include detection of movement or voice. This makes it possible for disabled people to control their wheelchairs with movements of their head or through voice commands. While these models are still very expensive and rare, they mark a tendency to make wheelchairs easier and safer to control, giving more independence to a higher number of disabled people.
So, as you can see, technological advances and society awareness are coming together to make a world where disabled people have the same freedoms and opportunities as the rest of us. Let’s contribute to that by treating disabled people as the great and brave human beings they are.
