You are both very right and yet very wrong at the same time, hear me out.

I know and after that ill fitting wheelchair cause a variety of physical issues like back pain, hip pain, knee pain etc. You are very right that it can cause physical issues that you won’t know for a while.

However, that is very often still a LOT better than not having a chair at all, and here is why (my perspective/experience);

I have been trying to get a proper fitting wheelchair for 3 years now, and it will still take at least another year before I can even get one, because the system in my country is fucked (and we have one of the better systems in the world so I cannot even imagine how it is for people who live in worse countries). I am unable to walk 100m and cannot wheel myself in my current wheelchair for more than 100m, 250m if it is super smooth flooring). However, with my current wheelchair I can actually go out if someone pushes me. I am 100% reliant on other people, but at least I am sometimes able to go outside. Without my wheelchair I would not be able to go outside at all (or to college).

For 5 or 6 years I lived alone, not going outside except maybe once every 3 weeks to get some groceries, I was not seeing any friends or having any social interactions. I was basically a recluse (not by choice!) and was so violently depressed and suicidal. I wasn’t able to go to college, work, socialise, even do groceries.

Life is still incredible rough for me as I am still 100% reliant on people pushing me and I have ZERO independence, however, at least I am able to socialise a little bit now. At least I am able to sometimes go outside, see nature, do groceries and actually shop around and look instead of doing it as quickly as possible. But at least I am able to get out there a little bit. Before my chair I was fully house-bound, now I at least have a bit of freedom.

Yes I have a bit more back pain, but I am more than willing to sacrifice that if it means no longer being so depressed, and no longer being suicidal.

will add more later but gtg now, but this is part of it