The life expectancy of someone in a wheelchair
People believe that the life expectancy of someone in a wheelchair can be affected by their wheelchair. Well, if you want a simple answer then it’s Yes but in fact, it’s more complicated then you think.
Actually, it depends upon its use, if you use it properly and the way it is meant to be used then you don’t have to worry and it won’t sort your life otherwise it will affect your life by shortening it.
Whenever you start using a wheelchair you find it very hard to use because your life becomes very hard suddenly.
Those changes can also cause and affect your life expectancy if you don’t use it the way it is recommended to use. The life expectancy of wheelchair users is also affected by different factors revolving around it.
Some of those factors are related to the life expectancy of wheelchair users while others don’t coherent with a wheelchair. Some of the factors are given in the article below so get to it to know the proper details.
The Life Expectancy of Someone in a Wheelchair:
Does being in a wheelchair shorten your life? Well, Life expectancy is depending upon many things. Those things include genetics, exercise, gender, diet and hygiene, health care, etc.
All of these things affect your wheelchair life expectancy in a very positive way. But here we only talk about the life expectancy of someone in a wheelchair.
The scientist did a lot of research and find out that a wheelchair did affect the life expectancy of the user who uses it.
The risk of mortality is higher in wheelchair user as compared to other people who don’t have any disability and uses a wheelchair.
The reason that they have a higher mortality risk because of two main reasons. The first reason is that they are kinda open or you can say more vulnerable to diseases than other capable people.
The ratio of weak immune systems is higher in disabled as compared to normal people. Which makes them an easy target for the virus or disease to attack.
The other reason which explains the high mortality risk in wheelchair users is not doing or being unable to do things that increase life expectancy.
There are a lot of different things that are scientific proof that they increase the average lifespan of a disabled person. But most wheelchair users are either unable to do it or can’t do it at all.
For example, exercise is something that can help you to increase your life expectancy, well if you do wheelchair exercise then it’s good for you but most people ignore it and then pay the price.
There are some things that a person can do not only to increase the life expectancy of a paraplegic but also for other disabilities. Some of those things are in the hand of the people and they should do it to increase their life while some of the factors that are related to life expectancy are not in your hand like genetics and gender. Some of those factors are given below.
Doing Exercise in a Wheelchair:
Exercise is something that affects the project’s life expectancy in both negative and positive ways. If you do exercise then it will definitely increase life expectancy.
If someone exercises on daily bases then it should help them to increase their life expectancy and also help them lose weight.
But the wheelchair user is not in the favor of doing the exercise in a wheelchair then his/her getting shorter.
That’s why you have to do it if you want to increase your life expectancy and wheelchair exercise also helps you to lose some extra pounds.
The wheelchair exercise also helps the user to maintain his/her health. Having good health is a blessing from god. Good health is also improving proper exercise.
Hygiene and Health Care:
Most people believe that health care is fine for life expectancy but how the hygiene affects it? Hygiene is very important for an individual and most important for wheelchair users. The wheelchair user needs to take shower one or two times a week.
Health care means that you need to keep track of your diet and eat foods that are rich in fiber, protein, and carbohydrates and also take care of your hygiene.
This will keep your body in good shape and increase your life expectancy. But if you don’t have proper food means rich ingredients food then you may end up dying quickly then excepted.
Hygiene is related to the health care of an individual for example if you have proper hygiene and take shower in a wheelchair once or twice a week. This will also affect your overall health by keeping your overall body clean.
If you don’t take care of your hygiene then in most conditions the wheelchair user got pressure sores and that pressure sore got infected which can lead to some serious problems, and some of those problems can be fatal.
Also Read: Do you Know How to Shower Someone in a Wheelchair?
Education:
It seems strange to be on this list but trust me it was found in proper scientific studies, that people with a high level of education have a low chance of death as compared to a lower level of education.
On this topic, a lot of research has been done but the one I’m talking about is given below.
According to research, people who have a high diploma or high level of education have a life expectancy of 9 to 10 years less than those who did a bachelor’s degree or a lower level of education. But know may think that how this is related to the wheelchair user.
Well, it’s related to wheelchair users indirectly, because the ratio of wheelchair users is higher than normal people, let me explain.
The ratio of wheelchair users’ education is higher than normal people and it’s because their only option is to get an education rather than doing labor in the company, or some other place. So, this also proved that wheelchair users have less life expectancy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does Mobility Affect Life Expectancy?
Well, Yes, it does and people who have mobility are likely to have a higher rate of injuries, disease, and death as compared to normal people.
What is the Life Expectancy of a Wheelchair?
A wheelchair can give you at least five good years in your life. The life expectancy of a wheelchair can be increased if you take care of it and use it with proper safety.
What Happens if You sit in a Wheelchair for too Long?
Prolonged sitting in a wheelchair is dangerous and can cause a lot of problems for wheelchair users. It can cause lower back pain, pressure sores, and also obesity in wheelchair users.
Conclusion:
The life expectancy of an individual can be effect by the use of a wheelchair if you don’t take care of your health, and hygiene and do some exercise.
There are also some other things that affect your life expectancy. If you take care of your health then it should increase your life expectancy.
I hope I gave you everything in the article about the life expectancy of someone in a wheelchair.
In the end, I just want to say that please keep planet earth cleaner than you because this is the only reason for surviving on this planet.
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About Author
John Maverick
John Maverik is an expert in Medical health and mobility devices, especially wheelchairs. He has worked in this field for the past five and a half years. He knows the wheelchair from every aspect and can guide every visitor with accurate information. He helps those with wheelchair-related problems and walks through them to get the best wheelchair.
