What is Bariatric Equipment?

Bariatric equipment refers to medical equipment that is designed with heavier weight capacities, higher durability and in larger sizes than standard. Although there isn’t any specific weight that makes a person considered obese, since obesity is a term that is relative to a person’s BMI, products that are built to support weights of 300 lbs. or more are considered heavy duty or bariatric.

Bariatric medical supplies are a costly but necessary expense for obese patients across the country. With numbers of obese adults increasing at a staggering rate, the supply of heavy duty products has grown to meet the demand this has created.

Why People Need Bariatric Equipment

Obese patients are at risk for many diseases and health complications and these conditions, combined with being extremely overweight, can make them even more dependent on medical supplies and equipment than regular-sized patients.

Another, often overlooked need for bariatric products is for tall adults who have a need for medical products for whatever reason. Although they may not be medically overweight, very tall patients may require higher weight capacities than standard medical products provide.

Cost of Bariatric Equipment

Bariatric equipment is often significantly more expensive than standard products for two simple reasons: the higher size of the product (and consequently, the amount of material used in production), and the higher level of quality and durability required.

All medical equipment, especially bariatric products, are carefully tested by the manufacturers to ensure that the products are indeed safe for the indicated user weight. Often, manufacturers upgrade their standard product models to the level of bariatric by implementing special designs that increase their stability and/or durability.

Types of Bariatric Equipment

The following are some of the most common obesity products available for larger patients.

Walking Aids

Whether it be because of their weight or not, many adults who are obese have difficulty walking and require heavy duty walkers, rollators or other walking aid products. Bariatric walking aids are available with weight capacities between 300 and 650 lbs. These walking aids are designed with high-quality welding and durable material to ensure total safety and stability for heavy users.

Manual Wheelchairs

Heavy duty wheelchairs are a common need among patients with mobility issues. This is especially true since patients with very low mobility often don’t get enough exercise and put on weight more easily. Some bariatric manual wheelchairs can safely support patients who weigh up to 700 lbs. Power wheelchairs and transport chairs, on the other hand, are usually available with weight capacities of up to 500 lbs.

Medical Scooters

Overweight customers who are looking for a mobility scooter need not compromise on the attractiveness or functionality of their scooter to ensure sufficient weight capacity. One scooter line in particular, the eWheels Recreational Scooters, offer many attractive styles of scooters that provide weight capacities of 500 or even 600 pounds.

Transfer Aids

Obese patients who have a hard time positioning and transferring themselves on their own may require products to assist them – or they may even need a caregiver to do the transferring, using various mechanical and electric transfer aids.

As with all medical equipment, it is crucial to check the weight capacity of any product before you purchase. Keep in mind that a product labeled bariatric may have a weight capacity anywhere between 300 pounds and 1,000 pounds.

  • Medical Trapeze: Offering an incredible weight capacity of up to 1,000 pounds (on certain models), a bariatric bed trapeze allows patients with upper body strength to pull themselves into a sitting position in bed. To ensure ultimate stability, bariatric patients should look for floor stand trapeze models, which are freestanding and can therefore handle higher weights than other trapeze types.
  • Transfer Slide: When a patient cannot adjust their own position in bed, it’s important that a caregiver do so regularly to avoid the risk of skin ulcers. However, positioning very heavy patients can be difficult or even impossible without the assistance of a transfer slide, which is designed to make maneuvering, re-positioning and transferring more manageable.