Wheelchair Market size was valued at USD 5.21 Billion in 2023 and is poised to cross USD 13.15 Billion by the end of 2036, expanding at more than 7.4% CAGR during the forecast period i.e., between 2024-2036. In the year 2024, the industry size of wheelchair is estimated at USD 5.58 Billion. The growth of the market can be attributed to the increasing occurrence of spinal cord injuries, along with the increasing prevalence of physical disability in children. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Centre, every year in the US, around 17,700 new spinal cord injuries occur, with vehicular crashes being the leading cause of injury. The wheelchair is a highly used assistive device for providing and facilitating personal mobility. It satisfies the lifestyle and physical needs of people who have difficulty in walking.
Global wheelchair market trends such as, the technological advancements in wheelchair designs in the form of the installation of Bluetooth, electrical, and others are expected to drive future sales for the market. Moreover, the wheelchairs are ideal for users with no upper body strength. Therefore, the older generations are expected to suffer from mobility disorders with growing age, which is anticipated to increase the demand for wheelchairs. According to World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations, globally around 131 million of the total population requires a wheelchair, while only around 21 million individuals get access.
Growth Drivers
Growing Number of People Suffering from Disability – Based on the data provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), it was noticed that around 1.3 billion people across the globe are living with a disability, summing up to 16% of the global population.
Rising Geriatric Population – Elderly population is more prone to receive physical disabilities across the globe, and it is estimated to drive market growth during the forecast period. The percentage of people over 60 worldwide is projected to be doubled from 12 to 22% between 2015 and 2050.
Growing Incidences of Spinal Cord Injuries – Spinal cord injuries can affect the functionality of legs and other parts of the body since it transmits information between the body and the brain. For instance, it was observed that between 300,000 and 500,000 people across the globe suffer from spinal cord injuries every year.
Estimated Growth in the Utilization of Wheelchairs – It was estimated that approximately 3 million people in the United States use a wheelchair, and approximately 1 million of them are above 65. Furthermore, wheelchair users are projected to grow by nearly 1 million every year in a similar region.
Challenges
High Cost of Wheelchair
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Base Year |
2023 |
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Forecast Year |
2024-2036 |
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CAGR |
7.4% |
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Base Year Market Size (2023) |
USD 5.21 Billion |
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Forecast Year Market Size (2033) |
USD 13.15 Billion |
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Regional Scope |
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Product (Manual, Smart, Powered/Electronic)
The global wheelchair market is segmented and analyzed for demand and supply by product into manual, smart, and powered/electronic wheelchair. Out of these sub-segments, the powered/electronic wheelchair segment is estimated to gain the largest market share over the projected time frame. The growth of the segment can be attributed to the ease of use of electronic wheelchairs, especially for older people, as manual wheelchairs are not equipped with batteries and are needed to be operated manually. Opposed to manual wheelchairs, electric wheelchair run on a power source and can be operated by the patients themselves. Besides this, the radically increasing prevalence of chronic disorders is another major factor that is accelerating the growth of the market over the projected timeframe. For instance, the global prevalence of chronic diseases increased by 60% by the end of 2020 globally.
Verticals (Handicapped, Neurologically Impaired)
The global wheelchair market is also segmented and analyzed for demand and supply by verticals into handicapped, neurologically impaired, and others. Amongst these segments, the handicapped segment is expected to garner a significant share. The number of patients suffering from mobility disorders is increasing exponentially. Additionally, movement is stated to be one of the most common forms of disability. Handicapped people are unable to move their bodies in the desired manner and need additional assistance to make certain movements. In this case, wheelchairs are highly utilized by these people for general transportation. For instance, out of the nearly 1 billion residents of India, approximately 2% of them suffer from severe physical disabilities.
Our in-depth analysis of the global market includes the following segments:
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By Type |
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By Product |
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By Verticals |
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By End-User |
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North American Market Forecast
The North America wheelchair market, amongst the market in all the other regions, is projected to hold the largest market share by the end of 2036. The growth of the market can be attributed majorly to the increasing number of disabled people owing to the rising sports injuries and road accidents. As of 2020, approximately 12% of the population residing in the United States was estimated to have some sort of disability. Furthermore, a high prevalence of self-care disability has been observed, where people face difficulties in bathing and dressing. For instance, more than 3% of the U.S. population suffers from self-care disability. Additionally, growth in the regional geriatric population with severe disabilities is also expected to push the market growth over the forecast period. Some biological facts and the decay in the bones over time are responsible for causing disability in geriatrics owing to which personal mobility devices are increasingly used among the older generation in the region. Furthermore, spinal cord and neurological disorders are also very common in geriatrics, since at a certain point in time, the functionality of the human brain begins to slow down. For instance, in the United States, it was observed that half of the geriatric lives with a severe disability. Hence, all these factors are projected to expand the market size during the forecast period.
Medline plc
Sunrise Medical LLC to launch a premium made-to-measure manual wheelchair range, RKG. This range is categorized to be premium and most advanced and is available in North America. RKG range is trusted by multiple professional athletes.
Invacare Corporation introduces the next generation of Invacare power mobility products with the AVIVA STORM RX power wheelchair, setting a new standard for rear-wheel drive power mobility.
Author Credits: Radhika Pawar
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