The best current estimates of the incidence
and prevalence of spinal cord injury in the U.S.
is 30-32 and 900 cases per million of population
respectively.5 About half of these cases are
paraplegic. Added to this are paraplegics due to
spina bifida, a few polio cases, etc. By definition,
paraplegics have to rely on one or more
assistive devices if mobility is to be achieved.
Only a small segment of the paraplegic population
make use of lower-limb orthoses, and
even those who do have orthoses, and use
them, need a wheelchair as well, in order to
make the most of their available energy. For
the very few who can "walk" enough not to
feel the need for a wheelchair in work and activities
of daily living, wheelchairs permit participation
in athletic activities that would otherwise
be impossible.