International Wheelchair Day 2021

At Proudlock Associates we want to celebrate International Wheelchair Day 2021 by raising awareness of this day within our industry and with interested parties to explain its importance.

Firstly, we want to emphasize that for many of our wheelchair-using colleagues and friends, the wheelchair is essential for day-to-day access needs.

Far from casting people into the prison of being “wheelchair-bound“ (never ever use this phrase again please people!) it gives independence and freedom to go to places, to participate with everyday life such as shopping working and playing sports.

The wheelchair is a passport to equality.

Do you know the history of the ISO standard for Accessibility?

Wheelchairs have enhanced the environment for everyone in another rather unusual way though. Let us explain. The pictogram icon representing all types of disability and access is the blue square with the familiar white stylised image of a person seated in a wheelchair. Apparently first designed in 1968, it became an ISO standard in 1984. Adopted originally to indicate facilities for disabled people, its use spread rapidly and today indicates things like intellectual accessibility and website accessibility options.

In this world where we are constantly bombarded with information; it is so important to have just a single symbol. Having said that, it is sometimes confusingly used outside buildings without wheelchair access, for example, to indicate good tactile facilities for visually impaired people or hearing enhancement systems. 

So, this marvel to many of us has gone a lot further than the bicycle ever did. Here below we look at some history of this marked day and a celebration of this three or four wheeled wonder. 

Why Celebrate International Wheelchair Day (IWD)?

It started up back in 2008 and is always celebrated on the 1st of March. On this day wheelchair users celebrate the positive impact a wheelchair has on their lives.

The wheelchair is one of the most used assistive devices to promote mobility and is used by a wide spectrum of people with different requirements. Statistics show that about 10% of the global population who have disabilities (that is about 65 million people) require a wheelchair.  

The Evolution of Wheelchairs

Today there are many types of wheelchairs, but it has taken a long time for the wheelchair to evolve into the mobility aid it is today. 

The history of the wheelchair is uncertain. There are inscriptions from Ancient China and Greece which suggest that wheelchair-type furniture had been used at least since the sixth century AD. What is definite is that the first self-propelled hand-powered wheelchair was invented in 1655 by Stephan Farfler, a German paraplegic clockmaker. It has been argued that Farlfer’s design may have also contributed to the invention of the bicycle.

In the second half of the eighteenth century a number of wheelchair designs were developed in the town of Bath, UK. This was in response to Bath becoming a popular spa town destination for sick and disabled people. John Dawson’s 1783 design became known as ‘The Bath Chair’. This could be steered by the rider but required an attendant to push it.

Throughout the nineteenth century many improvements were made to promote comfort, manoeuvrability and independence. The most commercially successful wheelchair was the ‘X-frame’ folding wheelchair for its relatively lightweight and ease of transportability still familiar today. This was developed in the 1930’s by American engineers Harry Jenning and Herbert Everest, after Everest became paraplegic in a mining accident. 

The first motorised wheelchairs were explored in 1916. However, the first team to successfully develop the first electric-powered wheelchair was led by a Canadian inventor George Klein, with the intent of assisting Canadian World War II veterans who had been injured. The invention was then mass-produced from 1956 by The Everest & Jenning Company. 

The Choice of Wheelchairs

Today there are many types and models of wheelchairs. Some wheelchairs are designed for general everyday use, others for specific activities, or to address specific needs. No single wheelchair can meet the needs of all users. The diversity among users creates a need for different types of wheelchairs. Those selecting a wheelchair take into consideration their physical needs, how they intend to use the wheelchair and the space around them.

Here is a comprehensive list of the types of wheelchairs available on the market today.

1. Manual Wheelchairs: either self-propelled or pushed by someone walking behind the wheelchair. These can vary by style (transport, folding frame, rigid frame), weight (from ultra-lightweight to heavy-duty) and material (steel, aluminium, titanium, carbon composite, etc).
2.  Powered Wheelchairs: powered by battery and usually controlled by the user via a joystick mounted to one of the armrests. There are standard and custom-built ones. They can come with many adaptations to allow for almost any need. Those who can opt for manual wheelchairs due to the higher maintenance and repair costs.
3. Mobility Scooters: battery-powered devices that are controlled with switches mounted to handlebars, configured more like a cart, mostly for outdoor use and take up more space than powered wheelchairs. There are different classes and some can be used on roads.
4. Standing Wheelchairs: also known as standing chair, these are battery-powered and allow a wheelchair user to raise the chair from a seated to a standing position.
5. Paediatric Wheelchairs: manual or powered, specifically designed for kids. They also usually have adjustments that will allow for growth and come in more fun looking colours.
6. “Special Needs” Pushchair: for young children or those who cannot or do not need to propel themselves. Most models fold, have straps for physical restraint and come with postural inserts for comfort. These pushchairs may also vary from conventional to all-terrain pushchairs.
7. All-Terrain Wheelchairs: manual or powered, for hiking on challenging terrain. These usually have heavy-duty motors and batteries, very good suspension and balloon tires.
8. Sports Wheelchairs: designed with specific features and for specific sports for speed and agility, including basketball, tennis, racing and rugby. Most have angled wheels and for contact sports some have impact bars.
9. Handcycles: manual or powered, upright or recumbent, handcycles are similar to bicycles, but are pedalled with hands not feet. There are many different types of handcycles that can cater for many different needs. 
10. Beach Wheelchairs: designed for trips to the seaside, on sand and in water, the one thing that most beach wheelchairs have in common is big balloon tires that keep the chair from sinking into the sand. Made of rust-proof materials. The seat and back are usually made out of fabrics that dry out quickly.
11. Pool Wheelchairs: designed for submerging in swimming pools and general wet leisure. Unlike the beach wheelchair, the pool wheelchair is very similar to the manual wheelchairs, except that it is made of rust-proof materials and the seat and back are made from fabrics that dry out quickly. Pool wheelchairs are usually used at pools that have an incorporated ramp or a pool platform lift. 

Navigating the Built Environment

As we have seen, not all wheelchairs are the same, and since there is not one standard issue wheelchair it is important to make sure that we design and build buildings and spaces that are fit for purpose. Good inclusive design means that different wheelchair users should be accommodated so that no one is excluded. This can sometimes be difficult, because our standards and design guidance, including Approved Document Part M (ADM), do not exhaustively cover all the wheelchair typologies – despite the legal obligations of the Equality Act.

This is where an experienced Access Consultant from the National Register of Access Consultants (NRAC) will be able to help develop a design that meets the needs of as many people as possible. At Proudlock Associates we can also carry out consultation with disabled people. We have experience in managing and delivering co-production designs, enabling that conversation with disabled people can provide great insight and knowledge.

Should you want an experienced inclusive design and access consultant to give you or your team advice through the design process, or you would like someone to review existing proposals, please do not hesitate – contact us on 0845 130 1669, or email Tracey Proudlock at 

tracey@proudlockassociates.com

Happy International Wheelchair Day 2021!

NB: All photos used in this article are either owned by Proudlock Associates or permission for use has been granted to Proudlock Associates.