FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS
Dillon Connolly, who uses a power wheelchair, applied his design-engineering background to think about people with limited mobility and the ways uniquely designed exercise could benefit them.
“Depression and obesity are big problems in the SCI/D community,” he says, adding that he has battled depression and chronic pain for years.
“Typical gyms are not practical for quads, and they are definitely not tailored for people with mobility impairments.
My goal is to bring highly
specialized workouts to a broad audience of people with SCI, CP or MS, or
anyone who can benefit from a seated workout, like seniors.
“At least 5% of people have a significant mobility impairment. That’s a large market, a viable market,” he says, noting that many studies have found that up to one in four people will experience some type of disability in their lifetime.
“We did
customer discovery, speaking to over 100 wheelchair users — not all with spinal
cord injuries. We found out that many were dealing with some sort of pain, but
on average, those going to the gym were happier and had less pain.”
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