Mobility Scooter Overview

Introduction

A mobility scooter is a mobility aid equivalent to a wheelchair but configured like a motor scooter. It is also often referred to as a power-operated vehicle (POV).

A mobility scooter has a seat over three, four or now five wheels, a flat area for the feet, and handlebars in front to turn one, two or three steerable wheels. The seat may swivel to allow access when the front is blocked by the handlebars. Mobility scooters are usually battery powered with battery(ies) stored on board the scooter and charged via an onboard or separate battery charger unit from standard electric power.

The tiller, with forward/reverse directions and speed controls, is the steering column centrally located at the front of the scooter. Forward/reverse direction can be controlled by thumb paddles, finger controls, or a switch.

Most scooters are equipped with a key lock for turning the scooter on and off, thus conserving battery life and preventing unauthorized use; a battery-level indicator (an indispensable asset if the scooter is not charged daily or in situations of extended use); and a proportional speed controller to limit maximum speed.

Advantages

A scooter is useful for persons without the stamina or arm/shoulder flexibility necessary to use a manual wheelchair. Also, swiveling the seat of an electric scooter is generally easier than moving the foot supports on most conventional wheelchairs. A mobility scooter is very helpful for persons with systemic or whole-body disabling conditions (coronary or lung issues, some forms of arthritis, obesity, etc.) who are still able to stand and walk a few steps, sit upright without torso support, and control the steering tiller.

A major selling point of mobility scooters for many users is that they do not look like a wheelchair, disability still being seen by many as a negative or somehow shameful. Mobility scooters are in general more affordable than powered wheelchairs, leading to them being procured as a cheaper alternative.

Limitations

While a mobility scooter eliminates much of the manual strength problems of an unpowered wheelchair, its tiller steering mechanism still requires upright posture, shoulder and hand strength, and some upper-body mobility and strength. The arm-rest mounted controller typical of power chair designs may be more suitable for many users. Scooters also have fewer options for body support, such as head or leg rests. They are rarely designed for ease of patient transfer from seat to bed.

Other drawbacks include longer length, which limits their turning radius and ability to use some lifts or wheelchair-designed access technologies such as kneeling bus lifts. Some mobility scooters have low ground clearance which can make it difficult to navigate certain obstacles, such as travelling in cities without proper curb cuts. Navigating in restricted spaces, whether in the home or in public spaces and buildings can also be a problem.

These limitations may prevent some disabled individuals from using scooters. In addition, scooter limitations may vary depending on model and manufacturer. A limitation of one make/model does not necessarily carry over to all. Individual needs may affect the suitability of a particular model.

Currently in the United States, Medicare will not approve a power wheelchair for persons who do not need to use the chair “inside their own home,” even if their medical needs restrict the use of a mobility scooter. For example, a person with severe arthritis of both shoulders and hands may not be the best candidate for a scooter, but because they can walk a few steps in their own home, such persons are not seen as approved candidates for a power wheelchair either. Various disability rights groups are campaigning for Medicare to change this policy.

Considerations in Choosing a Scooter

The first consideration in selecting a scooter is to determine whether it will meet the needs of the potential user. The primary market for scooters is individuals with physical disabilities or health conditions which affect their ability to walk or limit their physical endurance. Typically, scooter users have some ability to walk, but are limited in distance or stamina—people with milder forms of cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, post-polio syndrome, stroke survivors, arthritis, and cardiac conditions, among others.

Scooters are used to increase and extend the range of personal mobility and help conserve energy. Scooter users often have difficulty propelling manual wheelchairs, but do not require the sophisticated electronic controls and seating systems common in powered wheelchairs.

A number of other physical factors must also be evaluated when determining whether a scooter is an appropriate mobility aid. A scooter user generally must be able to sit upright for extended periods and have sufficient seated balance to maintain an erect posture. Further, sufficient upper body and arm strength to master the controls and steer and maneuver the unit is required. In addition, uncorrected vision disabilities, or conditions which may cause confusion or memory loss or which inhibit proper safety awareness may render a scooter an unsatisfactory mobility aid.

Other considerations in selecting a mobility aid include how and where the vehicle will be used, whether or not it will need to be transported, and if so, how it will be transported. Important factors are whether or not a scooter will be the primary mode of transportation, how far it will need to travel in between battery charges on a given day, and whether it will be used primarily indoors or outdoors, or in a combination of environments.

The overall evaluation of all these factors will help determine whether a scooter is an appropriate assistive device for a particular individual in a specific set of circumstances. It should also be noted that persons considering a scooter for the first time or persons with new disabilities should seek the advice of their physicians, therapists, or other rehabilitation professionals in determining whether a wheelchair or a scooter is most appropriate for them, and/or what type of scooter best meets their needs.

It is also important that a scooter under consideration be thoroughly tested and compared with other similar models, if possible in the setting in which it will be most typically used. As in comparison shopping for an automobile, it is advisable to test comparable models and their features.