WHEELCHAIR MARKET 

INTRODUCTION

Mobility is an important aspect of daily life, allowing people to participate in their homes, workplaces, and communities. Mobility difficulties are one of the most often reported functional difficulties, an issue that is frequently handled by the use of specific devices or equipment. Walking aids and wheelchair selection and use are also typical requirements for either short- or long-term disability adaption.

A wheelchair is a chair that has wheels. The device is available in a variety of configurations that allow either manual propulsion by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand or electric propulsion by motors. Handles are frequently located behind the seat to allow various persons to push. A wheelchair is a wheeled mobility device that allows the user to sit. The gadget is pushed either manually (by spinning the wheels with one's hand) or automatically using a variety of methods. Wheelchairs are used by people who find it difficult or impossible to walk due to illness (physical or mental), injury, or disability.

Wheelchairs are largely utilized by the differently abled and elderly populations across the world. Elderly and handicapped individuals utilize electric wheelchairs because they find it difficult to use a manual wheelchair properly. When compared to electric wheelchairs, manual wheelchairs are lighter and require less maintenance. The contemporary conventional wheelchair design is based on the cross-frame concept, which was designed in 1932 by handicapped American mining engineer Herbert A. Everest and American mechanical engineer Harry C.

WHEELCHAIR MARKET DEVELOPMENTS AND INNOVATIONS

WHEELCHAIR MARKET DYNAMICS

A manual wheelchair is propelled either by the person using it or by an aid. Manual wheelchairs are most often found in hospitals and nursing homes. Manual wheelchairs are generally used by those who have the strength and stamina to move the wheelchair themselves. They may push the wheelchair in a variety of ways.

Individuals with spinal cord damage, for example, can utilize their upper extremities. Individuals who have had a stroke that only affects one side of the body can utilize one upper and one lower extremity. Individuals who lack the strength to walk without a walker or cane, as well as the endurance to walk with one, can use their lower extensors.

The growing elderly population, as well as the increasing use of wheelchairs in sectors such as athletics, are expected to fuel industry expansion in the worldwide Wheelchair market. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the global population over 60 years old will nearly double from 12% to 22% by 2050. This increase in the geriatric population will eventually lead to an increase in the demand for wheelchairs. However, the cost of electric-powered wheelchairs is higher than that of manual wheelchairs.

China and India are the Asia-two Pacific's most populous countries. China is considered an ageing economy, with over a considerable number of Chinese people over the age of 60. Furthermore, because to the country's aluminum manufacturing centers and significant players, China manufactures about 75% of the world's electric wheelchairs. Preventable causes, such as car accidents, falls, or violence, are important contributors to spinal cord damage, and people with the disease are more likely to die prematurely than healthy people, with poor and middle-income economies having the lowest survival rates. Spinal cord injury is associated with an increased risk of secondary conditions such as urinary tract infections, deep vein thrombosis, muscle spasms, pressure ulcers, osteoporosis, chronic pain, and respiratory complications, which can be incapacitating and sometimes fatal.

WHEELCHAIR MARKET SEGMENTATION

The Global Wheelchair Market can be segmented into following categories for further analysis.

By Wheelchair Application

• Homecare
• Hospitals
• Ambulator Surgical Centre
• Rehabilitation Centre
• Airports
• Railway Stations
• Public Access Places

By Usage Category Type

• Pediatrics
• Adults

By System Type

• Manual Control Systems
• Electric Control Systems

By Regional Classification

• Asia Pacific Region - APAC
• Middle East and Gulf Region
• Africa Region
• North America Region
• Europe Region
• Latin America and Caribbean Region

RECENT TECHNOLOGICAL TRENDS IN WHEELCHAIR MARKET

The digital technologies that are influencing the Fourth Industrial Revolution have the potential to significantly improve people's quality of life. Under the notion of digital twinning, a self-driving wheelchair was built using an IoT-based gadget. A comprehensive map stored on a cloud-computing platform can be accessed by the wheelchair, allowing it to securely explore its environment. This method is less costly than outfitting it with internet-connected sensors capable of transmitting and receiving data in real time. It has extra safety technology and proximity sensors, but the use of the digital twin map rather than technology that uses global location data.

The new technologies are intended to save wheelchair users from colliding with things (such as walls, people, dogs, and furniture) while they go about their everyday lives. It accomplishes this by seamlessly assisting the driver's navigation of the chair in conjunction with user steering inputs based on obstacle detection in the driver's surroundings. Users can avoid tipping by detecting stairs or dangerous drop-offs and gently assisting the chair to continue on a safer course.

It monitors the slope of a ramp or the ground on which users are travelling and gives an audio warning if it becomes a tipping hazard. If a chair falls over, the chair sounds an alarm and may be programmed to rapidly notify other people. The new revolutionary wheelchair design allows the wheelchair user to stand. This technology will only be available to people who have some use of their legs.

However, these upgraded wheelchairs allow these wheelchair users more independence because they can now reach many more goods on store shelves without help. There are advanced wheelchairs that lift the user to the height they would be at if they were standing for people who are unable to utilize sit and stand chairs.

WHEELCHAIR MARKET COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Furthermore, the advent of electric wheelchairs that may be controlled by voluntary motions such as head and tongue movement, breath actuation, and lower extremity control is favorably impacting market growth. Aside from that, growing involvement in Paralympic sports, as well as the availability of advantageous reimbursement policies and customization choices, are driving market expansion.

Invacare is one of the leading producers of Wheelchairs under the Manual and powered category for the global scale of market. It produces wheelchairs, combining a reinforced, heavy-duty carbon steel frame which includes gusseted sides, caster journals and dual cross braces, the Tracer IV Wheelchair is long-lasting and low maintenance.

Heavy-duty seat liner provides added durability. The Invacare Storm Series 3G Torque SP Power Wheelchair features Invacare MK6i electronics which makes navigating a breeze. Optional Invacare Gearless Brushless GB motors help improve battery range. The technology of Rear-wheel suspension helps absorb significant jolts and impacts for smoother ride which has been integrated with the MK6i electronics. The Wheelchairs under powered category have been placed with an optional Invacare True Track technology which keeps the chair on a truer forward path to lessen fatigue.

Nutation is part of the most recent developments of multi usable pediatrics' and Adult based wheelchairs within the market. It has introduced the Complex Power Standing Wheelchairs that are individually configured, meaning that the chair will be customized to user needs. The Organization has brought up new designs under the complex rehabilitation technology wherein the wheelchairs are designed such that when the wheelchair is placed in a recline hip angle remains the same, but the body tilts backwards and the weight shifts to the user’s back. When the user reclines, the seat-to-back angle changes, but the seat angle to the ground stays the same. Complex Power Tilt & Recline ensures the stay in position by tilting and then reclining. It has also developed the All-Terrain based wheelchair technology which is focused on high clearance capability and robust suspension mechanisms.

WHEELCHAIR MARKET COMPANIES PROFILED

• Pride Mobility Products Corporation
• Quantum Rehab
• Medline
• Invacare
• Karman healthcare
• Graham Field Health Products Inc.
• Numotion
• Carex Health Brands Inc.
• Drive Medical Design and Manufacturing