Benefits Of A Mobility Equipment & Mobility Scooters

By Author: The first mobility scooter was invented in Bridgep
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The first mobility scooter was invented in Bridgeport, Michigan, USA in 1968 by a man named Allan R. Thieme. After a close family member was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, he felt a strong personal motivation to try to help them continue as normal a life as possible. He thought up and built the first mobility scooter, in his home, which was a front-wheel drive model. He called it The Amigo, and thus kick started the mobility scooter industry. Today, the Amigo brand are still located in Bridgeport, Michigan and are still producing mobility scooters.

Mobility scooters have a flat area for the rider to place their feet on, and handlebars, much like a bike, to enable the user to turn the wheels. In most scooters, only one or two wheels are steerable, but in a few more robust models, thanks to today's technology you can have up to 5 wheels to enable tight turns and bends. To help a user get into and out of the mobility scooter with ease, the armrest may be raised, and the seat can use a rotation device, allowing the user to just swivel in place and get out, putting less ...
... pressure on their joints. Most mobility scooters are powered by electric batteries, and there is a place to store one or two batteries on-board. There are some gas-powered and electric powered scooters in some country, but these are quickly being replaced for the electric powered ones.

With a mobility scooter, most controls are located on the handlebars. Forward and reverse directions as well as speed controls are easily accessible by hands, mainly in the thumb areas, fingers switches and controls making even those with limited arm use able to use them. Most mobility scooters can be divided into two categories: rear-wheel drive (RD) and front-wheel drive (FD). The rear-drive is useable both outdoors and in, and allow the user to be up to 350 pounds, but there is also a heavy duty version available. This heavy duty version will allow up to 500 pounds, varying, of course, by manufacture. The Front-wheel drive scooter is a smaller scooter, and is used best indoors. It also has a smaller weight allowance, going up to only 250 pounds.