Also called: Also called: Ambulation devices
Mobility aids help you walk or move from place to place if you are disabled or have an injury. They include crutches, canes, walkers, wheelchairs and motorized scooters. You may need a walker or cane if you are at risk of falling. If you need to keep your body weight off your foot, ankle or knee, you may need crutches. You may need a wheelchair or a scooter if an injury or disease has left you unable to walk.
Choosing these devices takes time and research. You should be fitted for crutches, canes and walkers. If they fit, these devices give you support, but if they don't fit, they can be uncomfortable and unsafe.
- And then the Doctor Said..."I Think We Need to See about Getting You a Wheelchair."(University of Pittsburgh) - http://www.wheelchairnet.org/WCN_ProdServ/Consumers/newuser.html
- Canes and Walkers: Which One Is Right for You?(AGS Foundation for Health in Aging) - Links to PDF - http://www.healthinaging.org/public_education/tools/10_canes_walkers.pdf
- Consumers: People Who Buy and Use Wheelchairs(University of Pittsburgh) - http://www.wheelchairnet.org/WCN_ProdServ/Consumers/start.html
-
Crutches: A "How-To" Guide(American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons) - http://www.footphysicians.com/footankleinfo/crutches.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.footphysicians.com/espanol/instrucciones-para-el-uso-de-muletas.htm
- How Do Scooters and Wheelchairs Compare?(University of Pittsburgh) - http://www.wheelchairnet.org/WCN_ProdServ/Consumers/compare.html
- How to Use Crutches, Canes and Walkers(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00181&return_link=0
- Adapting Motor Vehicles for People with Disabilities(National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) - http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/adaptive/brochure/brochure.html
- Assistive Devices and Mobility Aids during Travel(Transportation Security Administration) - http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/specialneeds/editorial_1370.shtm
- Employees Who Use Wheelchairs(Office of Disability Employment Policy) - http://www.jan.wvu.edu/media/Wheelchair.html
- Home Modification(Administration on Aging) - http://www.eldercare.gov/eldercare/Public/resources/fact_sheets/home_mod.asp
-
Financial Assistance for Prostheses and Other Assistive Devices(Amputee Coalition of America) - http://www.amputee-coalition.org/fact_sheets/assist_orgs.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.amputee-coalition.org/spanish/fact_sheets/assist_orgs.html
- Financing Options for Home Modification(United Cerebral Palsy Associations) - http://www.ucp.org/ucp_channeldoc.cfm/1/13/12631/12631-12631/6183
- Funding for Wheelchairs(University of Pittsburgh) - http://www.wheelchairnet.org/WCN_ProdServ/Funding/funding.html
-
Living and Working with Disabilities: Tax Benefits and Credits(Internal Revenue Service) - Links to PDF - http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p3966.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p3966sp.pdf
-
Medicare Coverage of Durable Medical Equipment and Other Devices(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Large PDF file - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11045.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11045_S.pdf
- Medicare Coverage of Power Mobility Devices (PMDs): Power Wheelchairs and Power Operated Vehicles (POVs)(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/PMDFactSheet07_Quark19.pdf
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: A preliminary study on the impact of pushrim-activated power-assist wheelchairs... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18806509&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Comparison between a tilt-in-space wheelchair and a manual wheelchair equipped... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18760168&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Arterial structure and function in physically active persons with spinal... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18758670&tool=MedlinePlus
- Mobility Aids -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(crutches[mh]+OR+canes[mh]+OR+walkers[mh]+OR+wheelchairs[mh])+AND+english[la]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- List of Wheelchair and Seating Words(University of Pittsburgh) - http://www.wheelchairnet.org/WCN_ProdServ/Consumers/glossary.html
- Search for Assistive Technology by Function or Activity(Center for Assistive Technology & Environmental Access) - http://assistivetech.net/search/FA_search1.php
- Transportation for Disabilities: Safety Equipment, Lifts, Ramps, Restraints, Vehicles and Vehicle Modifications(National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research) - http://www.abledata.com/abledata.cfm?pageid=19327&top=13893&deep=2&trail=22
-
Walking Aids: Canes, Crutches, Standing Equipment, Walkers
(National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research) - http://www.abledata.com/abledata.cfm?pageid=19327&top=14223
-
Wheeled Mobility: Manual, Powered and Sport Wheelchairs, Stretchers, Transporters and Carts(National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research) - http://www.abledata.com/abledata.cfm?pageid=19327&top=14341
- Job Accommodation Network(Office of Disability Employment Policy) - http://janweb.icdi.wvu.edu/
- National Center on Physical Activity and Disability - http://www.ncpad.org/
- WheelchairNet(University of Pittsburgh) - http://www.wheelchairnet.org/
- Car Seats for Children with Special Needs — Casts and Wheelchairs(American Academy of Pediatrics) - http://medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZFWCTDJ3D&sub_cat=543
- Difficulty Moving Around Quest(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/kids/kmalpage.htm
- Wheelchairs(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/feel_better/things/wheelchairs.html
- Wheelchairs for Children(National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research) - http://www.abledata.com/abledata_docs/Children_wheelchair.htm
- Assistive Technology(Administration on Aging) - http://www.eldercare.gov/eldercare/Public/resources/fact_sheets/assistive_tech.asp
- Assistive Devices - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/assistivedevices.html
- Wellness and Lifestyle - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/wellnessandlifestyle.html
Mobility Aids - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/mobilityaids.html