Disability and the cost of mobility in the urban environment: An experimental outdoor study

Despite ongoing urban infrastructure development and greater awareness of disabled individuals' needs, built environments still contain barriers that hinder mobility for people with motor impairments. We conducted an experimental outdoor study with ninety non-disabled young men, divided into three groups to simulate varying levels of mobility impairment: moving in wheelchairs, wearing orthoses and ankle weights, and a control group (no aids). Participants moved from point A to point B, with routes recorded via GPS loggers and physical effort measured using heart rate monitors. Routes taken by wheelchair users were significantly longer than those of the other groups. Physical effort was notably higher for participants using wheelchairs and orthoses, and it correlated with the perceived difficulty of specific barriers. Mobility barriers lead to increased physical effort and, for wheelchair users, longer and more time-consuming routes to reach destinations. These costs should be considered in urban planning to create more accessible and inclusive environments.