A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine 
National Institutes of Health
Mobility Aids
Also called: Ambulation devices
Mobility aids help you walk or move from place to place if you are disabled or have an injury. They include crutches, canes, walkers, wheelchairs and motorized scooters. You may need a walker or cane if you are at risk of falling. If you need to keep your body weight off your foot, ankle or knee, you may need crutches. You may need a wheelchair or a scooter if an injury or disease has left you unable to walk.
Choosing these devices takes time and research. You should be fitted for crutches, canes and walkers. If they fit, these devices give you support, but if they don't fit, they can be uncomfortable and unsafe.
The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Basics
,
Learn More
, and
Multimedia & Cool Tools
.
For group Basics
- No links available
For group Learn More
For group Multimedia & Cool Tools
- No links available
The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
,
Reference Shelf
, and
For You
.
For group Research
For group Reference Shelf
For group For You
-
Coping
- And then the Doctor Said..."I Think We Need to See about Getting You a Wheelchair."(University of Pittsburgh)
-
Specific Conditions
- Consumers: People Who Buy and Use Wheelchairs(University of Pittsburgh)
- How Do Scooters and Wheelchairs Compare?(University of Pittsburgh)
- Instructions for Using Crutches(American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons)
- Also available in Spanish
- Wheelchairs, Seating, Positioning(Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center)
-
Related Issues
- Employees Who Use Wheelchairs(Office of Disability Employment Policy)
- Home Modifications(Administration on Aging)
- How to Use Crutches, Canes and Walkers(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
- Travelers with Disabilities and Medical Conditions(Transportation Security Administration)
-
Financial Issues
- Funding for Wheelchairs(University of Pittsburgh)
- Living and Working with Disabilities: Tax Benefits and Credits(Internal Revenue Service) - PDF
- Also available in Spanish
- Medicare Coverage of Durable Medical Equipment and Other Devices(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - PDF
- Also available in Spanish
- Medicare Coverage of Power Mobility Devices (PMDs): Power Wheelchairs and Power Operated Vehicles (POVs)(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - PDF
- Medicare's Wheelchair and Scooter Benefit(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - PDF
- Also available in Spanish
- Return to top
-
Clinical Trials
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Self-Help Devices(National Institutes of Health)
- Return to top
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Self-Help Devices
-
Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
-
Dictionaries/Glossaries
- List of Wheelchair and Seating Words(University of Pittsburgh)
- Return to top
-
Directories
- Search for Assistive Technology by Function(Center for Assistive Technology & Environmental Access)
- Transportation for Disabilities: Safety Equipment, Lifts, Ramps, Restraints, Vehicles and Vehicle Modifications(National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research)
- Walking Aids: Canes, Crutches, Standing Equipment, Walkers(National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research)
- Wheeled Mobility: Manual, Powered and Sport Wheelchairs, Stretchers, Transporters and Carts(National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research)
- Return to top
-
Organizations
- Job Accommodation Network(Office of Disability Employment Policy)
- National Center on Physical Activity and Disability
- WheelchairNet(University of Pittsburgh)
- Return to top
-
Children
- Kids' Quest: Mobility(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Wheelchairs(Nemours Foundation)
- Wheelchairs for Children(National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research)
- Return to top
Languages
Mobility Aids - Multiple Languages
