Does using a wheelchair cause ALS to progress more rapidly?

Experience has shown that patients are reluctant to use a wheelchair and try to manage without it for as long as possible.

The use of a wheelchair is seen as a symbol of the severity of the illness and of one’s own physical limitations. This creates a psychological barrier to using a wheelchair.

Another reason for the desire to delay the use of a wheelchair is the fear that sitting in a wheelchair will cause the condition to worsen further. These concerns are medically unfounded: The human body is physiologically designed to endure prolonged periods of rest without experiencing a loss of muscle mass or motor function.

This basic principle is particularly evident in the daily sleep cycles, which occur without any loss of muscle mass. Repeatedly sitting in a wheelchair—even for several hours at a time—therefore has no negative effects on motor function.

In addition, the complex process of fitting an electric wheelchair requires the setup of a standing function, which also involves further use of the musculoskeletal system and the circulatory system (and the associated “training effects”).

Overall, due to psychological barriers and the still widespread misconceptions about the “risks” of wheelchair use, these assistive devices are still being used too sparingly and too late.

Targeted counseling on assistive devices at specialized ALS centers and medical supply stores (with expertise in wheelchair provision) can help reduce the barriers to wheelchair provision mentioned above.