By Conner Flynn
If you struggle to get around easily on foot, or are no longer about to walk, there is no need to limit your outings or travel. You can still have an active and productive life with the help of a mobility scooter. Since every person has different medical needs and comfort requirements, there are a lot of different scooters to choose from. Some may even be covered by your insurance. The kids riding their own electric scooters aren’t the only ones who can zip around fast. Here are a couple of ways that mobility scooters can improve your quality of life.
Increased Independence
This is probably the biggest benefit to using a mobility scooter if you have any type of medical condition that limits your ability to walk about freely. The number one complaint from those with mobility issues is that they feel limited to where they can go and what they can do. With a scooter, you can virtually go anywhere and you don’t need someone to push you in a wheelchair.
While wheelchairs are good, they are hard to maneuver by yourself, especially when going long distances. If you have someone pushing you, you can only see what they are willing to push you towards. With a mobility scooter, the controls are easy to use and can be adapted to fit any sort of need, allowing you to go where you want, when you want.
Whether you are going grocery shopping, to an amusement park with the grandkids, or to the mall, you can bring your scooter and not have to worry about missing out on the fun.
Reduces Fatigue
Even if you can walk short distances by yourself, or with a walker, it can be exhausting getting around when you have a disability. With the use of a mobility scooter, you can extend the amount of time you can get out of the house, because the chair does all the hard work and moving for you. No longer do you have to depend on others to do simple tasks in and around your house, or at the store. With a mobility scooter you can get your independence back.
Improves Safety
Canes, walkers, and crutches can be beneficial for short term use, such as if you sprain your ankle, however, if you use them long term, you can actually change the alignment of your body and your gait. This will, in turn, cause other issues to surface, with your hips, back, and knees. Further, if you are walking in an area where there is water or ice, crutches or a walker can make for a very dangerous situation. With a mobility scooter, the impact on the rest of your body is taken away. You are in a seated position and can get up and move around, if able, whenever you choose. With a wider wheel base, scooters are designed to be tip resistant, meaning the chances of falling off or out of one are very slim. You are far less likely to become further injured using a mobility scooter than with any other mobility-assisted device.
Mobility scooters can transform the life of someone who has become disabled. Walking can be a challenge, or impossible, for a large portion of the population. Using a mobility scooter can give a person back their independence, while doing it in a safe manner.