Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil, 2019 · DOI: 10.1310/sci2502–157 · Published: May 1, 2019
Long-term manual wheelchair users are at an increased risk of developing upper extremity (UE) joint pain and injuries due to the repetitive nature of wheelchair propulsion. Youth who sustain spinal cord injuries (SCIs) may be at even greater risk due to the many years they may be wheelchair dependent. There has been a decreasing trend in duration of initial rehabilitation, therefore little time is spent on training of proper wheelchair propulsion. An objective evaluation along with proper training may help prevent the risk of UE pain and injuries over time. The SmartWheel can be mounted to most wheelchairs and can calculate and record forces applied to the push rim during propulsion via force transducers and wirelessly transmit that data to a computer.
Employing an objective wheelchair assessment and proper training on an ongoing basis as the child is growing as well as when the child receives new wheelchairs may help reduce the development of UE injuries over time.
As current rehabilitation trends allow little time for this in the traditional setting, a comprehensive assessment of wheelchair propulsion and education on techniques to prevent future UE injury must be repeated over time
Future research should continue to evaluate the potential impact of similar wheelchair assessment and training programs incorporating feedback for children with SCI including serial programs as they age.