Where Did Wheelchairs Come From?
The history of the wheelchair dates back to the ancient Egyptians who used hand-pushed carts for people who couldn’t get around. Although wheelchairs changed and improved over the years, they still weren’t anything like the ones you see today. In the 1800s, they were basically chairs on wheels that were pushed from behind. Early 20th century wheelchairs had spoke wheels and wire wound rubber tires, according to Louis Slangen, vice president at Invacare, a company that creates wheelchairs and other home medical products. They were made of heavy chrome-plated steel that averaged between 45 and 50 pounds and featured stiff, vinyl upholstery. “Although wheelchairs serve the same purpose today as they did many years ago, they do it farther, lighter, longer, and more comfortably than ever before,” Mr. Slangen says. You may remember pictures of former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) in a wheelchair. FDR was president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. He contrac
