Many people who have difficulty walking take advantage of the generous availability of mobility scooters that are made available for use at several public facilities such as amusement parks, grocery stores and department stores. They can keep up with friends and family without overexerting themselves or go in their own direction without assistance from another individual. Many of these people do not possess a personal mobility scooter of their own because they have a limited budget, although they would appreciate and gain so much from the physical assistance and the psychological benefits associated with maintaining their independence. A cheap mobility scooter may be the affordable bridge that helps an individual cross over from a walk restricted lifestyle to a self-assisted and more independent lifestyle.
The mobility scooters available for use at public facilities are generally four wheeled and built for durability more than comfort and convenience. Although comfort and convenience are typically adequately provided for, reliability and durability are the most important characteristics of any type of equipment that is made available for public use. These mobility scooters are not cheap and would most likely be an over exaggerated version of a three or four wheeled model that would be more appropriate for a personal ownership.
A little bit of online research on the topic of medical mobility scooters should help you become more familiar with the different makes, models, features, advantages and limitations of mobility scooters. As a general guideline, brand new mobility scooters range from just under $500 to well over $3000. A mobility scooter with tons of options and features and a more powerful motor is not going to be one of the cheap models. In addition to particular specifications that may be provided, a clue as to the power of the motor is the number of batteries the mobility scooter has. A model that has two onboard batteries is likely to have a more powerful motor. The more powerful motor makes conquering hills and steep slopes quicker and easier. A smaller motor will still conquer those hills but you just have to be a little more patient if you want to ride cheap. Trading a little time may still be better than being physically limited and assisted by others or not participating in an activity.
A walker is a relatively cheap piece of equipment that is designed to assist those who have trouble walking. Although effective at accomplishing their purpose, the individual using a walker must have a good amount of upper body strength and dexterity and enough energy and lung capacity to maneuver with a walker. If the individual is this fortunate, they will be over utilizing these healthy body conditions to compensate for their inability to use their affected limbs. A mobility scooter does require that the individual have an adequate amount of upper body strength in order to operate and manage the steering column and hand operated controls. However, the amount of strength and effort necessary is minimal with a cheap mobility scooter in comparison to a walker. A manual wheel chair presents some of the same disadvantages as a walker.
A motorized wheel chair is another option for those who have difficulty walking and they do not require the individual to have much upper body strength. However, they are not cheap and some find them to be too large and cumbersome for every day activities in many places. If you take the time to investigate the various mobility scooters available you may find a cheap yet valuable solution to a challenging physical and emotional problem.