Our CEO, Loren Lyon, knows a lot about the mobility industry. So we thought we’d ask him a few questions and share his responses so you can learn more about Magic Wheels and how we’re continually working to help make our products, and the lives of wheelchair users, better.

Q. How long has Magic Wheels been in business?

A. The extensive research, development, and testing necessary to bring a product like Magic Wheels to market began way back in 1996. We were fortunate to have a team that was dedicated to making this product a reality. Magic Wheels first became commercially available in 2004.

Q. What are some of the biggest problems Magic Wheels has solved for your users?

A. Many of our users refer to Magic Wheels as a “life changer” because it has such a broadly encompassing impact on their lives. We are inspired by all the ways that our users find it beneficial to “shift gears.” It’s not uncommon for someone to source out Magic Wheels to overcome a single challenge in their life. It might be the ramps within their home or a hill outside their home. Or they may have challenges navigating a ramp into their van so that they can independently transport themselves. Regardless the obstacle that brought them to us, they are always amazed at how often they find themselves shifting gears. Many become capable of navigating far beyond the barrier that originally inspired them to try Magic Wheels. Even long term manual wheelchair users underestimate the challenges they face until they have the means to overcome them.

Q. Are there industry changes that have happened or that you anticipate happening that will affect the Magic Wheels product?

A. There is an expanding awareness relative to the importance of regularly scheduled wheelchair propulsion assessments. Upwards of 80% of all manual wheelchair users are dealing with shoulder pain, degradation, and/or reduction in activity levels to avoid shoulder impingement. It is becoming more and more apparent that we need to address the contributing factors earlier rather than later to avoid more serious and costly injuries to our manual wheelchair users. We are all told that annual physicals can be beneficial to long-term health. Annual propulsion assessments can deliver the same type of health benefits by identifying negative trends before they become a health concern. This not only benefits the client but can help prevent costly shoulder rehab and surgical procedures.

Q. What has been the most rewarding aspect of working for this company and in this industry?

A. We work in an industry that focuses on improving people’s lives. Quality of life is the underlying objective for everything we do in this industry and everyone at Magic Wheels recognizes how fortunate we are to be able to contribute to helping others. The accomplishment we see on the face of a client when they recognize that they can independently go where they want to go is beyond gratifying. As a manufacturer in this industry we see it as our responsibility to raise the bar when it comes to what manual wheelchair users are capable of doing.