nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

We want to hear from you: please tell us about your experience of the online community.

not sure if i should get a wheelchair?

agreen13

Hi! so for as long as i can remember I have had some problems with walking, my knees hurt and click, same with my hips, my feet turn in and i stumble quite a bit. I don’t think I look obviously disabled from the way I walk however my parents would comment on me walking weird and yell at me to correct it. I haven’t got any sort of diagnosis yet so I’m not sure how I’d go about getting a chair. I currently use a cane sometimes but I still experience pain and sometimes the cane is quite inconvenient as I like to have my hands free

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

noonebelieves

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/132446/not-sure-if-i-should-get-a-wheelchair

Hi @agreen13,

Hi and Welcome to this lovely and friendly Scope forum. Sorry to hear about your issues.Wheelchair referrals in the NHS can be made by your GP, physiotherapist (if you have one), or any other health professional involved in your care. However, wheelchair services through the NHS have strict criteria, which can vary slightly depending on your area.

Have you had any falls lately? Even if not-Given your symptoms, it might be worth speaking to your GP if you want to discuss re your Knee , as they may consider referring you for further investigations and to specialists such as orthopaedics, a rheumatologist, MSK physiotherapists, or a pain clinic to have your knee assessed. Some GPs, like mine, also perform steroid injections in the knee, which can help with pain and improve mobility.

Have you also considered other mobility aids, like crutches, a Fisher stick, or a 3-wheeled (Delta Walking Frame) or 4-wheeled rollator? You can walk into any local mobility shop and try them out. Especially the 4-wheeled rollators are safe and convenient to use.

That said, there’s also nothing stopping you from privately purchasing a standard wheelchair if you have £100-£200 to spare.

Best wishes to you!

Holly_Alumni

Hi @agreen13 and welcome to the community! 🙂

I'm so sorry your parents weren't very supportive to you. @noonebelieves has provided some brilliant advice. I definitely agree that it's worth speaking to your GP for a diagnosis as once you know what the situation is, they may be able to provide some additional or alternative options that might help.

Best wishes,

Jean Eveleigh

As you have some mobility now, it is a personal choice, but if you feel it will give you more independence and the ability to experience more of life, then yes, getting a wheelchair would be beneficial.

You do not have to be sitting in it all the time, you can use it as a walking frame and push it until your legs get tired or start to hurt and then sit in it and wheel around until you feel rested enough to walk again.

Wibbles

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/132446/not-sure-if-i-should-get-a-wheelchair

It will be free as well - via NHS (If you have a needs assessment first)

Occupational Health will assess you and if a chair will help - they will supply it !

Wibbles

Another important point - once you start to go down the wheelchair route - you will most likely completely lose the ability to walk……unless you can regularly exercise !

Wibbles

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1054799#Comment_1054799

My power wheelchair took around 3 months to obtain…after the NHS assessment

Component react.suggestedcontent had an error.

The value must be greater than or equal to 1.

Sign in or register for free

Get more out of your online community by signing in or registering