​History Lesson: How Wheelchairs Have Changed Over The Years

When you picture a wheelchair, it's likely that we all picture a very similar-looking chair. However, it took centuries of trial and error to get to the type of wheelchair we're familiar with today. While it is uncertain as to what can be considered the first wheelchair, stone inscriptions from Ancient China and Greece suggest that wheelchair-type furniture has been used at least since the sixth century AD. Since then, wheelchairs have come a long way and continue to evolve today. Today we're taking a look at the history of wheelchairs and how they have changed over the years.

Early Beginnings

The first thing you'll notice about early wheelchairs is that they were quite primitive. They were often made of wood and had very little padding, which made them uncomfortable to sit in for long periods of time. Early wheelchairs also didn't have any kind of braking system, which made it difficult to control the chair and keep it from rolling away.

It was also popular for early wheelchairs to be designed for an assistant to push. For instance, the wheelchair used by Confucious in some depictions shows him being pushed by an attendant. This was common because most people who needed a wheelchair were unable to propel themselves.

The 18th and 19th Century Advancements

In the 18th and 19th centuries, wheelchairs began to be designed for people to use on their own. This resulted in the development of self-propulsion mechanisms, such as hand rims that could be attached to the wheels. These hand rims allowed people to move the wheelchair by themselves without needing someone to push them.

In 1655, Steven Farffler, a young German watchmaker with a disability, is the first known person to invent and use a wheelchair that could be independently propelled but it took a few hundred more years before this practice became mainstream.

In 1783, John Dawson of Bath, England, designed a wheelchair used to transport people to the therapeutic waters found in Bath. The Bath Wheelchair became the most popular chair sold in the early 19th century. Like most other wheelchairs of the day, the Bath chair was still an attendant-dependent wheelchair.

One of the biggest advancements in wheelchair design came in the form of the folding wheelchair. This type of chair was first invented in 1869 by a man named George Jennings and it quickly became popular because it was much easier to transport than a traditional wheelchair. The folding wheelchair allowed people with disabilities to travel more easily and participate in more activities.

Another huge 19th-century wheelchair design change was the introduction of spoke wheels. This made the chair much lighter and easier to maneuver. It also allowed for better braking systems to be put in place.

Electric Wheelchairs Enter The Scene

In the early 20th century, electric wheelchairs began to be developed. These chairs were initially very large and bulky and not very practical for everyday use. It wasn't until after World War II that electric wheelchairs began to be more refined and became a more viable option for people with disabilities.

During World War II, many soldiers were injured and needed a way to get around. So, the first mass-produced electric wheelchair was developed by George Klein and his team at the National Research Council of Canada. This chair was called the Invalid Tricycle and it was designed for soldiers who had lost the use of their legs.

After the war, electric wheelchairs became more available to the general public. However, they were still very expensive, and not many people could afford them. In the 1970s, Medicare and Medicaid began to cover the cost of electric wheelchairs, which made them more accessible to people with disabilities.

The Modern Wheelchair

Today's wheelchairs are much different than the early versions that were invented centuries ago. They're made of lighter materials like aluminum and titanium, which make them easier to transport. They also have comfortable padded seats and a variety of features that can be customized to each individual's needs.

There are now many different types of wheelchairs available, from manual to electric, and from lightweight to heavy-duty. And with new advances in technology, there's no telling what the future of wheelchairs will hold. Who knows, maybe one day we'll have flying wheelchairs! One thing is for sure, wheelchairs have come a long way since their early beginnings. Thanks for taking this history lesson with us!