Abstract

Paraplegics in Nigeria are faced with multiple challenges that affects their emotional, physical, social and economic lifestyle. Based on these challenges, they are seen as second class citizens in their own country. This paper therefore seeks to address their mobility challenges, using mathematical models to ascertain the required force needed to propel an ergonomic friendly wheelchair through a ramp to points of service provisions. If this is done, life will become meaningful to them once again. The model developed using mathematical and scientific knowledge was such that the force required to access points of service provisions using a manually propelled mobility aids are estimated. The result of our findings showed that the average force required to propel an ergonomic friendly wheelchair to points of service provision ranges from 1354 N to 1425 N for female and male adults’ paraplegics respectively. This force is capable of developing extra muscular disorders. These disorders arose as a result of repetitive propulsion of these wheelchairs on inclined plane daily. The magnitude of the force required to be overcome, again is capable of creating epidemiological conditions that affects these sets of persons negatively. Our paper therefore concludes that an autonomous mobility aid capable of taking paraplegics to points of service provisions through ramps and other inclusive designs is recommended for these groups of persons whose self-esteem has already been tampered with. When this is done, Paraplegics will be fully integrated into the society thereby contributing positively to the economic, political and social growth of the nation, as against their usual ways of soliciting for arms in our highways, Churches and other public places.