Select a Mobility Scooter for a Short Person
Selecting a Mobility Scooter is difficult enough, but if you are under say 5'2" (yes, including children) many of these scooters may be too big for you. In fact, short people are often overlooked when it comes to the size of seating of all sorts. Even dining room chairs and couches are often a problem. Right? For example, the standard height of a dining chair (floor to seat) is 18"-20". But someone who is 5' tall is only around 16" (back of knee to floor), meaning your feet aren't flat on the floor, when you're eating. You may not notice it that much, but if you were suddenly careening around the corner like that, it would be pretty important. Honestly you don’t even have to be all that short to need a product that accounts for shorter people. You should consider this if you’re under 5’4”. If your feet are not solidly on the floor or the reach to the controls is too far, it can be not only uncomfortable, but dangerous. You may not have adequate control or stability for full safety. We recommend buying a scooter that fits you properly. Make sure the seat can be adequately lowered so that your feet are flat on the scooter's deck and that the scooter's overall length is short enough that you can easily reach the controls. Review the technical specs for these items…
Steps
- Look for a scooter with a Seat-To-Deck height that can be shortened to 16" or below. Many scooters only lower to 18", which may leave your feet dangling in the air. Measure from the back of your knee to the floor to make sure the height works for you.
- Find a scooter with a shorter overall length of 40" or less, so that you can easily reach the controls. Some scooters have tilting handles which help.
- If you're also smaller in width, choose a scooter with a smaller seat. Most scooter seats are 18"-20" in width/length, but smaller seats are available. The chair we recommend comes with an optional 14"x14" seat for instance
Tips
- • Turning Radius is key. The shorter the better. Smaller turning radius means a more maneuverable scooter that will be much easier it will be to ride. Look for a turning radius of 35" or less if possible.
- • Ground Clearance can be really important. Some scooters are not really meant for use on anything but flat surfaces (a low ground clearance). But to be more flexible, if you're going to use your scooter outdoors, for travel etc. You'll want the highest ground clearance possible, 2 ½” or above so that you don't get hung up, or high centered on uneven surfaces.
