Manual Wheelchair Market - Forecast(2024 - 2030)

Manual Wheelchair Market Overview

Manual Wheelchair Market size was estimated at $3.2 million in 2020, projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.6% during the forecast period 2021-2026. Manual wheelchair is one of the mobility aid that is designed to help the people who have problem in moving around. It is used by an older adults and especially by the people suffering from disabilities owing to muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, paraplegia and spinal cord injury and others facing problem in scapular kinematics. 

Choosing a wheelchair is decided according to the needs and by the mobility level of an individual. The best way to choose a wheelchair is for the person that be using it to assess their own needs, like as lifestyle habits, the amount of time the wheelchair is estimated to be used on a regular basis. Each wheelchair is designed to accommodate a disabled person’s medical condition and application. Owing to the rise in geriatric population, with growing popularity for Paralympics in the recent years, Manual Wheelchair Market is anticipated to experience lucrative growth opportunities.

Manual Wheelchair Market Report Coverage

The report: “Manual Wheelchair Market Forecast (2021-2026)”, by Industry ARC, covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments of the Manual Wheelchair Market.

Key Takeaways

• Geographically, North America Manual Wheelchair Market held the largest revenue share of 34% in 2020 owing to the highest disposable income and growing geriatric population along with motor impairment in this region.
• Increased demand for R&D made by the key players in different region of the world along with rising FDA approvals for innovative wheelchair innovations in the Manual Wheelchair Market are driving the market.
• Moreover, increasing spinal cord injuries that effect motor and reflex capabilities and for people with high level of spinal cord injury scapular instability is a significant issue driving manual wheelchair market.

Manual Wheelchair Market: Market Share (%) by Region, 2020 

Manual Wheelchair Market Segment Analysis – By Design & Function

Based on Design & Function, Manual Wheelchair Market is segmented into Basic Wheelchair, Standing Wheelchair, Sports Wheelchair, Bariatric Wheelchair and others. Basic wheelchair segment has accounted for the largest revenue market share in 2020 owing to its cost effectiveness. These wheelchairs are most durable, easy to maintain and offer precise function and positioning to the individual using it. These wheelchairs are mostly suitable for the people who have control over their upper limbs unlike people associated with problem in scapular kinematics. 

Basic wheelchairs are generally foldable, easy to store while it is not in use and easy to carry while travelling. Bariatric wheelchair segment is poised to grow with the fastest CAGR of 5.9% in the forecast period 2021-2026 owing to its characteristics of being a heavy-duty wheelchair. A bariatric wheelchair is designed for the individuals who need an extra space for an ultimate comfort. These mobility aids comes with a larger and wider seat sizes to endure the comfort of the user.

Manual Wheelchair Market Segment Analysis – By Category

Based on Category, Manual Wheelchair is segmented in to Pediatric and Adult. Adult wheelchair segment has accounted for largest revenue market share in 2020 owing to the growing worldwide elderly population and being a significant contributor of adult category segment growth in manual wheelchair market growth. Disability in geriatric population owing to age related issues like stiffness in knee, hip, ankle, arthritis, and other factors like brain stroke are driving the market for adult manual wheelchair. For instance, according to CDC, stroke is a leading cause of long term disability and it reduces the mobility in more than half of stroke survivors aged 65 and above.

According to National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), stroke is the most common cause of adult disability where, every year around 795,000 Americans have stroke and 160,000 individuals dye from stroke. Pediatric segment is poised to grow with the fastest CAGR of 6.3% in the forecast period 2021-2026 owing to increasing number of disorders in children such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy. 

According to CDC, Cerebral palsy is the most common motor impairment in the children. According to its recent population based studies, the prevalence of CP is ranging from 1 to 4 for every 1000 births. The prevalence of cerebral palsy is high in the children born preterm or at low birth weight. 

According to the U.S. researchers from Deerfield Institute in 2019, prevalence of Muscular dystrophy was found to be 6.09 per 100,000 males across all age groups. It is reported to be around 10,015 cases in 2019. Moreover, the researchers found that the majority of cases (64.5%) is reported in patients under age of 20. According to CDC, around 3 in 10 males aged between 5 to 9 years use a wheelchair and around 8 in 10 males with muscular dystrophy aged between 10 to 14 years use a wheelchair.

Manual Wheelchair Market Segment Analysis – By Geography

Based on Geography, North America Manual Wheelchair Market accounted for the 34% revenue share in 2020. This is majorly attributed to the growing number of motor disability in this region. According to CDC, in the U.S. 61 million adult’s live disability, and 26% adults have some or the other disability. In total number of disability cases in the U.S. around 13.7% accounts for the motor disability where the individual is incapable or finds it difficult to walk or climb the stairs. Asia-Pacific market is poised to grow with the fastest CAGR in the forecast period 2021-2026 owing its increase in aging population, and other factors such as spinal cord injuries, paraplegia, muscular sclerosis and others. 

According to WHO, the prevalence of spinal cord injury is rising in developing countries like India, and the healthcare burden owing to the spinal cord injury is predicted to the developed countries. Moreover, rising geriatric population is poised to drive the market for manual wheelchair in this region. According to United Nations ESCAP, Asia-Pacific consists of nearly 60% of world population where 400 million are aged 65 and above. By 2030, the number is estimated to increase by 50% concluding to 12% of total population in this region.

Manual Wheelchair Market Segment Analysis-Drivers

Increasing Prevalence of Motor Disability:

The rising prevalence for motor disability is predicted to accelerate the market for manual wheelchair. Motor disability or motor impairment is a partial or total loss of function of a body part, generally limbs. This results in muscle weakness, paraplegia, lack of muscle control. It is often noticed in neurological conditions like Muscle sclerosis, Cerebral palsy, Stroke and Parkinson’s disease. Lock-in syndrome is considered as an extreme form of motor impairment where almost all muscles lose their voluntary control. It is caused by a damage in lower portion of brain and brain stream by a stroke or other reasons. Loss of control over arms, legs and torso is termed as Paraplegia or tetraplegia. It is generally caused by spinal cord injury, particularly in the fifth to seventh vertebral area. This is often associated with loss of sensation from neck. Muscle sclerosis is another factor causing motor impairment. 

According to National Multiple Sclerosis Society, globally around 2.3 million individuals are diagnosed of muscle sclerosis. Where in a recent study in the U.S. funded by National Muscle Sclerosis Society, it is predicted that around 1 million individual aged 18 live with a diagnosis of muscle sclerosis. Moreover, Cerebral Palsy is considered as a commonly diagnosed motor disability in the United States. According to Cerebral Palsy Guidance, every year around 10,000 babies are born with cerebral palsy in the United States. According to National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, the prevalence of Cerebral palsy in UK is around 2 per 1000 births. About 40% of children with this disorder are born prematurely.

Manual Wheelchair Market Segment Analysis Challenges

Rising Demand of Electronic Wheelchair:

Electric wheelchair is poised to hamper the growth and demand for manual wheelchair in the market owing to its independence and other special feature that it offers. Moreover, the increase in innovations to develop an advanced wheelchair by key players in market, such as in July 2020, a Swiss based company, Scewo has launched Scewo Bro, an electric wheelchair that climbs up and down stairs independently. Electric wheelchair is easy to use and is easy to carry during travelling. It offers independence to undertake daily activities without any assistance and requires minimal effort of the user that is likely to hinder the market for manual wheelchair

Manual Wheelchair Market Segment Landscape:

Product launches, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and geographical expansions are key strategies adopted by players in the Manual Wheelchair Market. Manual Wheelchair Market top 10 companies are EASE Seating System, Nordic Capital Fund VII, ADI, Seating LIc., Aspen, Revolution Mobility, Eagle, Nissin, Gecko Systems International, Everest & Jennings, Medline, Siemens, Otto Bock, Aquilla Corporation, Merits.

Acquisitions/Product Launches:

In 2019, Permobil, a key player in advanced medical technology has introduced SmartDrive PushTracker E2. It is an advanced power assisted system for the manual wheelchairs. It ultimately increases the user’s ability to move on an uneven surface and prevents shoulder strain.

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