Assistive Technology: Mobility Products
Original Editors - Rucha Gadgil
Top Contributors - Rucha Gadgil, Naomi O'Reilly, Kim Jackson and Angeliki Chorti
Introduction[edit | edit source]
Mobility can be described as "an individual’s ability to move his or her body within an environment or between environments and the ability to manipulate objects"[1]. An individual’s ability to perform any mobility task can be compromised by impaired body functions or structures. Mobility can get restricted gradually, as occurs with multiple sclerosis, or instantly, as occurs with traumatic spinal cord injury, cerebral vascular accidents, and limb amputations. It can also affected by less obvious impairments. For example, associated pain can significantly alter walking ability[1]. Assistive devices and technologies are those whose primary purpose is to maintain or improve an individual’s optimal level of functioning and independence to facilitate participation and to enhance overall well-being[2].
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) highlights the responsibility of States to take effective measures to ensure personal mobility with the greatest possible independence for persons with disabilities, and a corresponding responsibility to promote and ensure availability and access to mobility aids, devices and assistive technologies (UN, 2006).
What are mobility products?[edit | edit source]
The ICF framework underlines that ’disability’ results from the dynamic interaction of the user, technology, and the environment. There might be restricted participation of an individual because of a dissociation between environmental demands and the individual’s mobility resources, and technology may assist either indirectly (therapy) or directly (physical assistance) enhancing the individual's participation in society[1].
Mobility products are designed to facilitate or enhance a user’s personal mobility – i.e. ability to change and maintain body position and walk and move from one place to another (WHO, 2001)
They can be:
- Wheelchairs: manually propelled by the user, pushed by someone else, or electrically powered. Their fitting, design and accessories are individual specific selected after careful assessments.
- Scooters,
- Walkers,
- Walking Poles
- Canes, Crutches,
- Walking aids,
- Prosthetic devices, and Orthotic devices[3].
The benefits of using these mobility products are:
- More independence,
- Reduced pain,
- Increased confidence and self-esteem.
- reduced efforts and physical burden for caregivers
- improved health and quality of life
Provision of Mobility Products[edit | edit source]
These devices are provided by a broad range of stakeholders like governments , international agencies, non-governmental organizations (including charitable and faith-based organizations), and the private sector. In some countries, they are an integral part of healthcare and are provided through Ministry of Health, while in some other countries, the Ministry of Social Welfare takes this responsibility.
Individuals can access these products from hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, mobile/outreach facilities and community-based programmes, and also from private retailers and special education agencies.
The health personnel involved in the provision of mobility devices, includes therapists (e.g. occupational therapists and physiotherapists), medical staff , orthotists and prosthetists, and community-based rehabilitation workers.
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
References [edit | edit source]
see adding references tutorial.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Cowan, R.E., Fregly, B.J., Boninger, M.L. et al. Recent trends in assistive technology for mobility. J NeuroEngineering Rehabil 9, 20 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-0003-9-20
- ↑ WHO. Disability: Assistive devices and technologies.https://www.who.int/disabilities/technology/en/
- ↑ International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics. Prosthetics and orthotics services. https://www.ispoint.org/page/POservices
