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The wheel chair and walkers are not new inventions. Records suggest that the first wheeled chairs appeared in China as far back as the sixth century. In the west, it would seem that the first person to use such a device was the King of Spain. A drawing dated 1595 shows him in a wheeled chair with armrests and a footrest. Although there is evidence of earlier examples, the modern wheel chair only started taking shape at around the turn of the nineteenth century.
The development of separate push rims to aid self propulsion came in the early eighteen hundreds and in nineteen hundred wire spoke wheels replaced the wooden ones used on earlier chairs. Almost in tandem with the development of the automobile, the twentieth century has seen terrific advances in the wheel chair and walkers. The first half saw the development of the first motorized wheels, as well as the first folding chair. The second half saw the advent of the lightweight and highly adjustable wheelchair.
Wheel chair and walker technology has become so sophisticated that today users of these conveyances are able to have them highly customized with suspension systems, adjustable heights, adjustable widths and all manner of safety and utilitarian features. And to continue the analogy with the automobile, wheel chairs come in special sport or racing models.
At the beginning of this brief history of the wheel chair and walkers, mention was made of the fact that they have been in use for some time. As noted, the use of wheeled chairs can be traced back to about the sixth century. However, the use of walkers must surely go back even further. Quite possibly back to prehistoric times. The reason for making a statement as bold as this is that for all intents and purposes, the staff or walking stick, or cane as it is sometimes called, were and are the forerunners of the modern walker.
Just as there have been tremendous developments in the evolution of the wheel chair, so there has been much progress in the advance of walkers. After all, the wheel chair and walkers are operative in very similar market places. Walkers have also benefited from new stronger, lighter materials. They are able to be customized for each particular user and can be fitted with an array of safety features and convenience accessories.
With the wheel chair and walkers developing more or less simultaneously, it should be no surprise that just as is the case with the wheel chair, walkers also come in a number of styles and designs. From the simplest, a walking stick with four feet, to a lightweight, fully height and width adjustable, wheeled model, with removable shopping carryall. The possibilities seem to be limited only by imagination.
As diverse as the choices are, it is simply not possible for any one enterprise to cater for every single variation of wheel chair and walker. At Homecare Warehouse we do however have extensive ranges of chairs and walkers, and are confident of being able to meet most requirements. |