Rehabilitation Equipment Market

Rehabilitation Equipment Market by Product (Medical Bed, Mobility Scooter, Walker, Crutcher, Cane, Patient Lift, Sling), Application (Physical, OT, Lower-body Exercise Equipment), End User (Rehabilitation & Physiotherapy Center) & Region – Global Forecasts to 2027

The global rehabilitation equipment market is projected to reach USD 19.8 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 5.9% during the forecast period. The growth of this market is primarily driven by the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases such as arthritis and cancer, requiring rehabilitation therapies, high risk of injuries to caregivers during the manual handling of patients, rising geriatric and obese populations, and increasing demand for rehabilitation therapies owing to increasing access to healthcare. However, reimbursement issues and persistent difficulties in handling bariatric patients are some of the key challenges in the market.

Rehabilitation Equipment Market Dynamics

Drivers:

The manual handling of disabled patients may result in severe musculoskeletal injuries to caregivers. The risk of back injuries increases during lateral transfer, as caregivers must reach over the stretcher to the bed and physically pull the patient across onto a stretcher. This movement forces the body of caregivers into an awkward posture, which can cause musculoskeletal discomfort.

Injuries occurring at healthcare institutions involve direct and indirect costs—direct costs include expenses incurred in the treatment of injuries and the total man-days lost at work, while indirect costs are very difficult to measure and involve the diminished function of caregivers.

Workers at healthcare institutions report substantial pain from work injuries even after many months. Also, injuries to caregivers affect patient care as there are generally no provisions for replacing injured workers on an immediate basis. As a result, a smaller number of caregivers have to move and lift the same number of patients, which affects the quality of care, especially for patients with limited mobility. This, in turn, results in an increase in the length of stay of patients in hospitals, which adds to the overall healthcare expenditure. After the implementation of safe rehabilitation care programs, various rehabilitation equipment such as mobility solutions (including wheelchairs and patient lifts) are being used across healthcare institutions.

Manual handling of patients while transferring them from one place to another across rehabilitation care centers result in injuries to caregivers. This leads to missed workdays and loss of income, while also jeopardizing the health and well-being of patients. In order to overcome these challenges, the healthcare facilities are focusing on providing optimal care without putting their personnel at risk. As a result, the demand for tools like patient lifts, slings, and wheelchairs has increased, thereby boosting the sales growth in rehabilitation equipment market.

Restraints: Lack of awareness and access to rehabilitation services in emerging markets

A general lack of awareness on the effective use of rehabilitation equipment is expected to restrain the growth of this market. For example, in the case of a stroke, the lack of proper assistance and rehabilitation at the correct juncture can have significant ill-effects on the functioning of the body. This lack of awareness can also lead to patients neglecting the symptoms of critical conditions entirely, which affects the adoption of rehabilitation. This is a key problem in countries, such as Malaysia and Taiwan, where the effects of this factor are compounded by a lack of sufficient infrastructure and manpower. In this scenario, patient access to rehabilitation and associated equipment is also affected. Other factors, such as lack of appropriate referrals and lack of knowledge in context to rehabilitation services among members of the family, also restrict access to rehabilitation equipment.

The access to rehabilitation services for people with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries is limited. Evidence suggests that people with disabilities face a large number of barriers to accessing healthcare services. This lack of access to rehabilitation services is limiting the growth of this market.

Opportunities: Rising demand for home healthcare services

Globally, an increasing number of government regulations are being implemented to reduce the duration and cost involved in healthcare treatments. The provision of services at a patient’s home is typically more cost-effective than in institutions, particularly if the available informal care is used effectively. Moreover, with the evolution of new technologies, such as remote patient monitoring, the home care segment is expected to witness significant growth in the coming years. The growing demand for home care will, in turn, increase the demand for equipment required for treating patients in home care settings, including patient transfer devices, mobility devices, and medical beds, in the coming years

Challenges: Reimbursement issues

Reimbursement is a key area that directly affects the adoption of rehabilitation equipment. A number of products in this market are priced at a premium and may not be affordable for patients; in such a case, they would have to depend on reimbursement to access the equipment. Various organizations, such as Medicare and Medicaid in the US, provide only limited coverage for rehabilitation equipment such as hospital beds, patient lifts, commode chairs, crutches, walkers, and manual and electric wheelchairs and scooters. Moreover, this coverage is only applicable for the purchase or rentals from Medicare suppliers, as the supplier is prohibited by Medicare rules to charge more than the Medicare-approved amount for equipment.

The complexity of the enrolment procedure (for securing reimbursements for rehabilitation equipment) itself is a key challenge for patients and potential customers. In addition, rehabilitation equipment can only be reimbursed if they are prescribed by doctors/physicians for a certain medical condition. This may hinder the adoption of rehabilitation equipment for home care purposes.

“The rehabilitation equipment market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.9% between 2022 and 2027.”

The global market is projected to reach USD 19.8 billion by 2027 from USD 14.9 billion in 2022, at a CAGR of 5.9% during the forecast period. The growth of this market is primarily driven by significant risk of injuries to caregivers while manually handling the patients, increasing growth in geriatric and obese population that often requires rehabilitation therapies, and an increasing demand for rehabilitation care with an increasing access to healthcare. However, a lack of training provided to caregivers for the efficient operation of rehabilitation equipment is a major factor restraining market growth.

“Therapy equipment was the largest and fastest-growing segment by product”

Based on product, the rehabilitation equipment market is segmented into therapy equipment, daily living aids, mobility equipment, exercise equipment, and body support devices. In 2021, the therapy equipment segment accounted for the largest share of the global market. Increasing growth in the patients opting for physiotherapy and rehabilitation therapies are driving the demand for therapy equipment globally.

“physical rehabilitation & training segment is the largest application segment”

Based on application, the rehabilitation equipment market is segmented into strength, endurance, and pain reduction; physical rehabilitation & training; and occupational rehabilitation & training. In 2021, the physical rehabilitation & training segment accounted for the largest share of the global market. Physical rehabilitation and training help with osteoarthritis, joint replacement, sports injury, knee pain, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and cerebral palsy. Increasing incidence of above mentioned injuries and diseases are resulting into a significant growth in the segment.

“Hospitals and clinics segment is the largest end user segment”

Based on end users, the rehabilitation equipment market is segmented into hospitals & clinics, rehabilitation centers, physiotherapy centers, home care settings, and other end users. In 2021, the hospitals and clinics segment accounted for the largest share of the global market. Medical beds, slings, hoists, and bathroom and toilet assist devices are commonly used rehabilitation equipment across hospitals. The demand for these equipment are increasing owing to increasing prevalence of diseases/conditions requiring hospital-based treatment.

“Europe to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period.”

Europe accounted for the largest share of the global rehabilitation equipment market. The large share of this regional segment is attributed to a significant contribution from an economically stable and technologically advanced countries such as Germany, UK, and France. Increasing geriatric population and rising prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders across these countries are driving the market growth in Europe. The Asia Pacific market is projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Market growth in the Asia Pacific is attributed to the rising healthcare expenditure and growing number of healthcare facilities in Asian countries.