Does everyone who sustains a spinal injury use a wheelchair?
No. Wheelchairs are a tool for mobility. High C-level injuries usually require that the individual use a power wheelchair because of the loss of arm function. Lower injuries usually allow the person to use a manual chair. Advantages of manual chairs are that they cost less, weigh less, disassemble into smaller pieces and are more agile. However, for the person who needs a power chair, the independence afforded by them is worth the limitations. Some people are able to use crutches for walking. These methods of mobility do not mean that the person will never use a wheelchair. Many people who use crutches also use a chair for increased mobility. People who use wheelchairs don’t sleep in them, they sleep in a bed.
