To me, a wheelchair is a symbol of improved function, not disability
These marvels of engineering enable people like me to participate in society
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Everyone recognizes the blue and white signs featuring a figure in a wheelchair that adorn certain parking spots. I call him the wheelchair guy, and he allows me to park close to public building entrances. The sign is an international symbol of disability. Of course, many disabled people are able to walk, but a wheelchair has long been synonymous with disability.
Unfortunately, many people also equate this symbol with loss of function and independence, which can lead to feelings of pity or sadness.
I disagree with this perspective as someone living with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. To me, my wheelchair represents gains in functional ability and independence, and it allows me the chance to navigate a society designed for able-bodied people. It is an incredible piece of technology that helps me more and more as science advances and my disease progresses.
But I am hardly the first person to benefit from such a mobility aid. These tools, marvels of engineering, have been used for centuries to help level the playing field of life.
Wheelchairs have come a long way
According to the Science Museum, “stone inscriptions from Ancient China and Greece suggest that wheeled furniture has been used to transport people since at least the sixth century AD.”
During the Middle Ages, people with limited mobility were transported in wheelbarrows, which had been introduced to Europe in the 1200s for carrying dirt, stones, and goods. Drawings and paintings from this time period depict disabled people participating in society by being pushed around in these machines. It makes me feel good to know that people with disabilities were active in their communities almost a thousand years ago.
Wheeled devices continued to improve over time. In 1932, American engineer Harry Jennings created a folding wheelchair with an X-shaped steel frame for his friend, Herbert Everest, who had been paralyzed in a mining accident. As BraunAbility notes, “This innovation led to the founding of Everest & Jennings, a company that manufactured folding wheelchairs, making them more accessible and easier to transport.”
The first powered wheelchairs were developed in the 1950s to assist paralyzed World War II veterans who couldn’t operate manual wheelchairs. A few decades later, in the 1980s, design engineer Dan Everard developed a power wheelchair that could be used by children as young as 12 months after his daughter, Ruth, was born with spinal muscular atrophy. It makes me happy to know that someone was working on this type of device when I was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy in 1985.
Everard’s design led to wheelchairs being customized with fenders, bright colors, and even under-lights and rim spinners. As the youngsters say, “The chair can have bling!”
Gains are possible, even with a disability
My own wheelchairs have also become more advanced over time. Muscular dystrophy robbed me of the ability to walk around the time I turned 30, and my first wheelchair was a lightweight, foldable model. Weighing only 27 pounds, it could easily be lifted into a vehicle or stowed in an airplane cargo hold. Piece of cake.
I used my manual wheelchair for almost eight years. As my disease progressed, it became harder to propel myself, so I was assessed and fitted for a power wheelchair. These, in general, do not fold or break down into smaller pieces. My first power wheelchair, developed by Quantum Rehab, weighed 300 pounds. No one was lifting that into my car. I also purchased a modified minivan that allowed me to drive using hand controls.
It took a while to adjust, but I realized that these tools increased my independence. Technology allowed me to continue participating in society, much like the people in the Middle Ages who used wheelbarrows.
The World Health Organization considers personal mobility a basic human right, which means an appropriate wheelchair for those who depend on one to get around. Thankfully, many health insurers cover a new wheelchair every five years. When my first power wheelchair turned 5, a physical therapist and durable medical equipment provider assessed the strength of my arms, legs, head, and back muscles. They determined that my next chair should have improved technology: motors and actuators that would allow me to stand for the first time in years!
The human race has come a long way from pushing around disabled folks in wheelbarrows, but one thing remains the same: People living with disabilities have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As wheelchairs and other medical devices continue to evolve, I hope more people will view them as the incredible tools they are. These technological marvels should inspire awe and gratitude, not pity or sadness.
Note: Muscular Dystrophy News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Muscular Dystrophy News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to muscular dystrophy.
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