Effect of a pushrim-activated power-assist wheelchair on the functional capabilities of persons with tetraplegia.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To test the differences between a pushrim-activated power-assisted wheelchair (PAPAW) and a traditional manual wheelchair while performing common driving activities and to assess their relative merits for people with tetraplegia. DESIGN: Repeated measures. SETTING: An activities of daily living (ADL) laboratory within a rehabilitation research center. PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen full-time manual wheelchair users with tetraplegia due to a spinal cord injury. INTERVENTIONS: Participants propelled both their own manual wheelchairs and a PAPAW 3 times over an ADL course. The order in which the 2 different wheelchairs were presented to the participants was randomized. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Each participant's heart rate was monitored throughout testing by a digital, wireless heart-rate monitor. Time to complete the course was recorded, and participants were surveyed with a visual analog scale after the first, third, fourth, and sixth trials to determine the ease of completing each obstacle and their ergonomic preferences between the 2 wheelchairs. Participants also were observed throughout the trials to determine how much assistance they needed to complete each obstacle course. RESULTS: After using a Bonferroni adjustment, 4 obstacles (carpet, dimple strips, up a ramp, up a curb cut) were rated as being significantly easier ( P <.001) to complete when using the PAPAW. Participants also showed a significant decrease in mean heart rate throughout all 3 trials ( P =.015, P =.001, P =.003, respectively) when using a PAPAW. The amount of assistance needed by participants, the responses to ergonomic questions, and the overall time to complete the ADL course did not differ significantly between the 2 wheelchairs. CONCLUSIONS: For subjects with tetraplegia, PAPAWs have the potential to improve functional capabilities during certain ADLs, especially when propelling up ramps, over uneven surfaces, and over thick carpet.

Author information

Author/s: Algood, S David (SD); Cooper, Rory A (RA); Fitzgerald, Shirley G (SG); Cooper, Rosemarie (R); Boninger, Michael L (ML);

Affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Clinical Trial; Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Journal: Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation (Arch Phys Med Rehabil), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2005-Mar; vol 86 (issue 3) : pp 380-6

Dates: Created 2005/03/10; Completed 2005/04/12; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 15759215, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

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