Pessoas com deficiência motora têm poucas opções na seleção de cadeiras de rodas que atendam suas necessidades de deslocamento, comodidade e segurança para a realização das tarefas da vida diária, principalmente com as tecnologias assistivas disponíveis no Brasil. Com o intuito de auxiliar os cadeirantes, facilitando seus deslocamentos em vias públicas, foi desenvolvido um sistema de simulação numérica e um protótipo para teste de controle de suspensão autonivelante para aplicar em cadeiras de rodas. Baseado nos resultados numéricos obtidos por meio da simulação, a planta de teste de controle foi montada visando ao estudo do desempenho da dinâmica vertical. O sistema de inclinação lateral e frontal é apresentado com o uso de atuadores para controlar os movimentos de arfagem e rolagem de uma cadeira de rodas motorizada. Os sistemas foram expostos a diversas perturbações e os resultados mostram que o controle pode melhorar o conforto e a segurança de cadeirantes em percursos em vias públicas, dependendo da velocidade de aplicação da perturbação. / People with disabilities have little choice go select a wheelchairs which meets most of the displacement, comfort and safety requirements to perform their daily life tasks, particularly amid assistive technologies available in Brazil. In order to aid disabled persons, facilitating wheelchairs displacements on public roads courses, it was designed and developed a numeric simulation model and a prototype for the test of a wheelchair self-leveling suspension control system. Based upon the numeric results obtained from the model simulation, the control test platform was created aiming to ascertain the vertical dynamics performance. The lateral and frontal tilting system is presented, using actuators to control the leveling and rolling movements of a motorized wheelchair. The system underwent a variety of perturbations and the results demonstrate the control may improve comfort and safety for the wheelchairs displacements on public roads courses, depending on the velocity of application of the perturbation.

O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar a distribuição de pressão, no assento e no encosto, relacionada à variação do ângulo de tilt da cadeira de rodas e contribuir para uma melhor prescrição de sistemas de adequação postural na posição sentada. Para tanto, estruturou-se uma pesquisa descritiva composta por procedimentos tipo estudos de casos. A pesquisa foi direcionada a usuários com diagnóstico de Paralisia Cerebral, nível motor IV e V (GMFCS) e que necessitam de um melhor posicionamento no sentar. Para as análises, foram utilizadas as almofadas pré-fabricadas que acompanham a cadeira em conjunto com as técnicas de mapeamento de pressão e termografia. As principais variáveis analisadas foram a distribuição de pressão e de temperatura, por meio de diagramas, bem como foram avaliados estatisticamente os respectivos valores médios. Os resultados demonstraram que nenhum dos 15 usuários avaliados apresentou postura adequada no sistema de assento e encosto padrão da cadeira de rodas. A distribuição da pressão mostrou-se inadequada, em geral, com picos importantes atribuídos à falta de estabilidade da pelve e do tronco. A utilização de cadeira de rodas com tilt é indicada, porém, faz-se necessária uma cuidadosa análise desse ângulo, bem como dos suportes de apoio ajustáveis às necessidades individuais. Recomenda-se a personalização das almofadas de assento, de encosto e de apoio de cabeça, através da moldagem do corpo do usuário. Destaca-se que os dados obtidos neste estudo podem auxiliar na identificação das necessidades dos usuários e, consequentemente, no projeto de assentos para cadeira de rodas, proporcionando maior qualidade de vida aos usuários. / The objective of this study is to evaluate the pressure distribution on the seat and backrest related to the angle variations of the wheelchair tilt-in-space. It also aims to contribute to a more suitable prescription of positioning systems. In order to do that, the descriptive research was structured by using case studies. The survey was targeted to users that had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, gross motor function (GMFCS) IV and V who are need of a more appropriate wheelchair seating. Furthermore, for the analysis, the prefabricated chair cushions, the pressure mapping techniques and thermography had been used. The main variables analyzed were the distribution of pressure and temperature, through diagrams, which were statistically evaluated mean values. The results showed that none of the 15 members evaluated had an adequate posture in the standard seating system. The pressure distribution proved inadequate in general with important peaks attributed to the lack of stability of the pelvis and trunk. The use of the tilting wheelchair is recommended. However, it is required a more careful analysis of this angle, as well as the adjustable support brackets to individual needs. It is recommended to customize the seat cushions, backrest and headrest, through the user's body contour. It is noteworthy that the data obtained in this study can help identify the needs of users and consequently the seat design for a wheelchair, providing a higher quality of life to the users.

Orientador: Luis Carlos Paschoarelli / Banca: José Alberto de Souza Freitas / Banca: José Carlos Plácido da Silva / Resumo: Segundo o último censo realizado pelo Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística - IBGE (2002), o Brasil possuía um contingente de aproximadamente 15 milhões de pessoas com idade acima de 60 anos, ou seja, as pessoas idosas representavam 8,6% da população brasileira na época. Portanto, o crescimento da populaçã de idosos tanto no Brasil quanto no mundo, já está bastante delineado pelas estatísticas demográficas. Outras pesquisas apontam que uma parcela representativa desses idosos, necessita de assistência tecnológica específica para que as Atividades da Vida Diária (AVD's) sejam realizadas com maior plenitude. O uso de cadeiras de rodas, por exemplo, além de facilitar a realização da locomoção e o processo de reabilitação do estado de saúde, tem por objetivo integrar socialmente o indivíduo. Porém, idosos quando fazem uso de cadeiras de rodas acabam se tornando vítimas dessa tecnologia, ora pela falta de conforto ou segurança, ora pela ineficiência que o produto gera para interface tecnológica, o que favorece a complicação do quadro patológico e do processo de reabilitação. As "Tecnologias Assistivas", em especial as cadeiras de rodas, não estão adequadas tecnicamente às necessidades fisiológicas e psicológicas dos idosos. Diante desse quadro crítico e analítico buscou-se entender porque esses equipamentos não oferecem condições mínimas para a manutenção e muito menos para a reabilitação do estado de saúde do indivíduo. Inferiu-se que a falta de recomendações projetuais estava diretamente relacionado com esse problema. Portanto, o objetivo dessa pesquisa foi buscar considerações de relevância para a prática projetual de cadeira de rodas e fundamentou-se a busca desas considerações nos conceitos do Design Ergonômico. A sistemática metodológica desenvolvida em três partes esteve apoiada em abordagens de caráter teórico... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: According to the last demographic census conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) (2002), Brazil possessed a contingent of approximately 15 million inhabitants aged above 60 years old, in other words, the elderly people represented 8,6% of the Brazilian population at that time. Therefore, the growth of the seniors' population in Brazil and in the world, is already quite delineated by the statistics. Other researches show that a representative portion of those seniors, needs specific technological attendance so that the Activities of the Daily Life (ADL's) can be accomplished at full. The use of wheelchairs, for example, besides facilitating locomotion as well as the process of rehabilitation of the health condition, has the objective of integrating the individual socially. However, when the elderly make use of wheelchairs they end up turning into victims of that technology, either for the comfort they bring lack of safety, or for the inefficiency that the product generates for the technological interface, which in turn favors the complication of the pathological picture and the rehabilitation process. The "Technologies Assistive", especially the wheelchairs, are not adapted technically to the seniors' physiologic and psychological needs. In face of that critical and analytical picture it has been sought to understand why such equipment does not offer the minimum conditions for the maintenance nor for the rehabilitation of the individual's health condition. It was inferred that the lack of design specification were directly related with that problem. Therefore, the objective of that research was to look for considerations of relevance to propose the design of a wheelchair. Those considerations were based in the concepts of the Ergonomic Design. The sytematic methodology which was developed in theree parts was based on the approaches of theoretical...(Complete abstract, click electronic access below) / Mestre

Wheelchair-bound individuals who have limited or no upper-limb usage have difficulty with picking and placing of objects, opening doors, and other activities of daily living (ADLs), such as turning on a light switch or drinking from a cup. A wheelchair-mounted robot arm (WMRA) would aid individuals with completing ADLs and increase their independence, therefore an improved WMRA has been designed. Building upon previous WMRA research and incorporating research from industrial robot arms, carbon fiber tubing is the main component for the structure of the arm, a novel development for WMRAs. Factors that go into WMRA design include weight, speed, safety, robustness, cost, and the anticipated tasks. Many of these factors, such as weight, speed, and cost, can be improved upon compared to previous WMRAs by using carbon fiber materials. The use of carbon fiber enables the arm to be strong, but also lighter weight than other WMRAs. Testing was conducted on the pultruded carbon fiber tubing to ensure that the structure of the arm could withstand the necessary bending and tensile forces for the arm to hold up to 3.85kg, the standard weight of a gallon of milk, at the end effector. The arm's carbon fiber frame also allows the motor and sensor wiring to run internally, which improves the arm's safety and aesthetics, while protecting it from the arm's external environment. Lightweight high-torque motors, harmonic drives, newly designed carbon fiber frame, and a stand-alone 8-axis motion-control board, allow the arm to weigh less, have a longer overall length, be more robust, and be safer electronically than the previous University of South Florida WMRA, which was shown through prototype testing.

Title: Marketing communication of the Czech handicapped representative in tennis Ladislava Pořízková Objectives: The main objective of this thesis is to submit proposals for the improvement of marketing communication of Ladislava Pořízková based on the analysis and evaluation of the current situation. Methods: Defining the current state of marketing communication of Ladislava Pořízková was made possible by qualitative methods, which include the analysis of documents and social networks, an in-depth interview with Mrs. Pořízková and also quantitative methods, namely a questionnaire survey with fans of Mrs. Pořízková. Mgr. Richard Valoušek, senior PR manager at Raul, s. r. o. was also given space to express his views on a comparison of ideas and marketing communications of Mrs. Pořízková. The overall summary was ensured by a personal SWOT analysis. Proposals for changes were processed based on the theoretical background, an analysis of the practical part, suggestions of fans, experts and own suggestions. Results: The result are proposals for changes in the form of marketing communication modification, which are prepared based on shortcomings, but also the advantages of the current marketing communication of Mrs. Pořízková. The proposals correspond to the lack of funding for marketing communication...

Inspired by feminist post-structural thinking and with a discourse analytic approach, this study’s main theme is gendered identity, disability and sport. It consists of four separate, but interrelated, empirical studies and focuses on two research questions. Firstly, how do female and male wheelchair racers construct and perform their identities? Secondly, how are female and male wheelchair racers represented in Swedish sports media? To answer the research questions, semi-structured interviews with wheelchair racers, and a critical analysis of sports media texts from the Paralympics in Sydney, 2000 have been conducted. In this dissertation the composition of unwritten regulations produced by the media texts, that shaped the practice of wheelchair athletes was conceptualized as the discourse of able-ism. Findings indicate that the sports media texts constructed the subject of ‘disabled sportsman/sportswoman’, which indirectly reproduced the conception of a copy and not an original. The exclusion was, however, concealed and neutralized through the regulation and differentiation that the discourse of able-ism legitimated. Although sports media still seems to reinforce negative stereotypes of disabled athletes, the wheelchair racers themselves are challenging the gender, sport and disability discourses and establishing new ways of being physically powerful and excellent in and outside the sports arena. In fact, when the athletes got the opportunity to make their voices heard in media, they re-dressed the twisted picture of wheelchair racing as passive rehabilitation training into elite sport. Consequently, it seems that wheelchair racing and its high status in disability sports empowers both male and female racers which increases their possibility to be represented as ‘real’ sportsmen and sportwomen. Finally, although, the athletes have shown that wheelchair racing has a given place in modern sport, ‘being able’ as an athlete and being a gendered individual are still strongly connected to the appearance and performance of the un-impaired body.

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the effect of ingesting an 8% carbohydrate (CHO) beverage during a moderate intensity exercise trial on performance outcomes, fuel utilization and blood glucose levels of wheelchair athletes (spinal cord injury (SC I) or cerebral palsy (CP)). The secondary purpose was to analyze the dietary intake of the eight participants and to determine if they were meeting current sport nutrition guidelines for macronutrients and fluids recommended in the joint position statement developed by the American Dietetic Association (ADA), the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and Dietitians of Canada (DC).<p> Under random, double blind conditions eight athletes (6 males, 2 females); mean age 36 ± 8.5 y with a SCI (n = 7) or CP (n = 1) completed two exercise trials on an adapted stationary hand cycle; each trial was 60 minutes in duration at 65 % VO2peak followed immediately by a 30-minute performance trial. During the first 60-minutes the participants were given four 200 ml dosages (15, 30, 45, 60-min) of an 8% CHO beverage or a taste-matched placebo beverage. Blood lactate and glucose levels were sampled during the 60-minute exercise trial (pre, 20, 40, 60-min) and immediately after the 30-minute performance trial (post, 2, 5, 10-min). Heart rate was monitored continuously during the exercise and performance trial. Expired gas samples were also taken for 5-min periods during the exercise trial and then continuously during the performance trial. These values were used to calculate respiratory exchange ratio (RER) and carbohydrate oxidation. Dietary intake was assessed with a three day food record.<p> No significant differences were apparent between beverage trials for total distance (km), average speed (kmhr-1) or maximum speed achieved (kmhr-1). Significant differences were evident for blood glucose values, RER and CHO oxidation between the two beverage trials (p< .05). At the end of the 30-minute performance trial blood glucose values were significantly higher in the CHO trial (4.8 ± 1.3 mmol.l-1 vs. 4.0 ± 0.5 mmol.l-1 for placebo trial; p< .05). The CHO beverage resulted in higher CHO oxidation during the last 5 minutes of the performance trial, 2.1 ± 1.0 gmin-1 vs. the placebo beverage 1.9 ± 1.0 gmin-1 (p< .05). The CHO beverage trial resulted in significantly higher RER values during the final 5 minutes of the exercise trial and during the final 10 minutes of the performance trial. At the 20-25 minute mark RER values were significantly higher with the CHO beverage trial (1.04 ± 0.10) vs. the placebo trial (1.01 ± 0.11) (p< .05). During the final 5 minutes of the performance trial RER values were also significantly higher with the CHO beverage trial (1.06 ± 0.11) vs. the placebo trial (1.01 ± 0.10) (p< .05). The results indicated the participants were not meeting the current dietary guidelines for able-bodied athletes and active adults. Only 25% of the participants met the daily caloric requirements for active adults. Carbohydrate recommendations of 6 to 10 gkg-1 body weightd -1 were not met by any of the wheelchair athletes Seven participants were within the acceptable macronutrient range (AMDR) for CHO. For protein intake, 63% of the participants were meeting the protein recommendations active adults and all of them were within the AMDR. Average caloric intake from fat exceeded current recommendations of 20 to 25%; two participants were above the AMDR. The results demonstrate that the 8% CHO beverage consumed during exercise resulted in higher CHO oxidation rates and elevated blood glucose values, but it did not result in a performance gain.

Syfte: Syftet med studien var att kartlägga och beskriva tillgängligheten på gym för rullstolsburna personer. Undersökningsmetod: Studien var en deskriptiv observationsstudie. Undersökningen var en tvärsnittsstudie, då mätningar gjordes vid ett tillfälle. Datainsamlingen utfördes genom strukturerade observationer av olika bedömningsområden, t.ex. närliggande utomhusmiljö, entré, träningslokal, omklädningsrum m.m. med hjälp av en egen utarbetad checklista. Resultat: Resultatet visade att hinder i tillgänglighet i huvudsak inte fanns i den närliggande utomhusmiljön runt gymmet. Däremot framkom problem med trappor/trappsteg, höga trösklar och tunga dörrar utan automatik vid entrén, samt trappor och nivåskillnader i omklädningsrum och duschutrymmen. Även avsaknad av hissar och handikappanpassade toaletter var vanligt förekommande hinder i tillgängligheten. Av resultatet framgick att störst tillgänglighet fanns inom bedömningsområdet "Gymlokal". Slutsats: Resultatet visade att inget gym var fullt tillgängligt i samtliga bedömningsområden.Mycket kvarstår att göra gällande tillgängligheten på gym för rullstolsburna personer. Många hinder ansåg vi dock vara enkelt avhjälpta hinder, till exempel utjämning av nivåskillnader, avfasning av trösklar och uppsättning av automatiska dörröppnare. Den här studien kan ge en ökad förståelse för vilka faktorer i gymmiljön som är hinder för tillgängligheten. Det skulle då kunna öka medvetenheten om vilka åtgärder som kan göra gymmen mer tillgängliga för rullstolsburna personer.

Debilitating shoulder pain is prevalent among wheelchair users, however the causes remain unknown. Shoulder pain is reported to be greater among those who began wheeling after skeletal maturity (adulthood-onset, AO) than among those who began wheeling prior to skeletal maturity (childhood-onset, CO). It is unclear whether functional load-bearing from manual wheelchair use affects glenohumeral bone and cartilage morphology. Bone is known to adapt to loading, however the literature is conflicting regarding cartilage’s capacity to adapt to loading. We performed a pilot study to quantify bone and cartilage morphology at the glenohumeral joint of manual wheelchair users (nCO=3, nAO=5) and age- and gender-matched able-bodied controls (nC=8). Bone morphology (volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and normalized cross-sectional area (nCSA)) was evaluated using quantitative computed tomography. Bone density distribution was assessed across the glenoid and, for the first time, across the humeral head using a novel quantitative CT-Osteoabsorptiometry method. Cartilage morphology (thickness, volume, and surface area) was evaluated using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging, in the first assessment at 3T MRI. This novel combination of methods provides complementary quantitative data of glenohumeral bone and cartilage morphology. Compared to the AO, the CO in our study had significantly higher (p<0.05) glenoid subchondral nCSA, non-significantly lower glenoid subchondral vBMD, and non-significantly higher humeral head and glenoid trabecular vBMD. A reasonable cross-sectional study (n=22) would likely show higher humeral head and glenoid trabecular vBMD and glenoid subchondral nCSA in CO subjects but would not find differences in nCSA of humeral head total, trabecular, and cortical bone, or glenoid trabecular bone. Surprisingly, vBMD was (non-significantly) lower in the wheelchair users than in the able-bodied controls, however activity levels varied considerably. Significant correlations were found between humeral head and glenoid trabecular vBMD (r=0.94), and between humeral head trabecular vBMD and physical activity scores (r=0.84). Given the small effect sizes and the large variance in humeral head and glenoid cartilage thickness, volume, and surface area, it is not likely that further study of these parameters would provide insight into wheelchair users’ shoulder pain. Gaining a better understanding of how glenohumeral bone and cartilage respond to wheelchair use would allow for rehabilitation programs and wheelchair-design to be tailored to childhood-onset and adulthood-onset wheelchair users.

Debilitating shoulder pain is prevalent among wheelchair users, however the causes remain unknown. Shoulder pain is reported to be greater among those who began wheeling after skeletal maturity (adulthood-onset, AO) than among those who began wheeling prior to skeletal maturity (childhood-onset, CO). It is unclear whether functional load-bearing from manual wheelchair use affects glenohumeral bone and cartilage morphology. Bone is known to adapt to loading, however the literature is conflicting regarding cartilages capacity to adapt to loading. We performed a pilot study to quantify bone and cartilage morphology at the glenohumeral joint of manual wheelchair users (nCO=3, nAO=5) and age- and gender-matched able-bodied controls (nC=8). Bone morphology (volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and normalized cross-sectional area (nCSA)) was evaluated using quantitative computed tomography. Bone density distribution was assessed across the glenoid and, for the first time, across the humeral head using a novel quantitative CT-Osteoabsorptiometry method. Cartilage morphology (thickness, volume, and surface area) was evaluated using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging, in the first assessment at 3T MRI. This novel combination of methods provides complementary quantitative data of glenohumeral bone and cartilage morphology. Compared to the AO, the CO in our study had significantly higher (p<0.05) glenoid subchondral nCSA, non-significantly lower glenoid subchondral vBMD, and non-significantly higher humeral head and glenoid trabecular vBMD. A reasonable cross-sectional study (n=22) would likely show higher humeral head and glenoid trabecular vBMD and glenoid subchondral nCSA in CO subjects but would not find differences in nCSA of humeral head total, trabecular, and cortical bone, or glenoid trabecular bone. Surprisingly, vBMD was (non-significantly) lower in the wheelchair users than in the able-bodied controls, however activity levels varied considerably. Significant correlations were found between humeral head and glenoid trabecular vBMD (r=0.94), and between humeral head trabecular vBMD and physical activity scores (r=0.84). Given the small effect sizes and the large variance in humeral head and glenoid cartilage thickness, volume, and surface area, it is not likely that further study of these parameters would provide insight into wheelchair users shoulder pain. Gaining a better understanding of how glenohumeral bone and cartilage respond to wheelchair use would allow for rehabilitation programs and wheelchair-design to be tailored to childhood-onset and adulthood-onset wheelchair users.