Abstract Purpose: To characterize physical activity of people using manual wheelchairs with spinal cord injury in Manitoba. Methods: An observational study of manual wheelchairs users with spinal cord injury. Participants completed surveys related to self-efficacy for exercise, physical activity participation, and shoulder pain. Accelerometers were worn for 7 days on the wrist and trunk (GT3X, 100 Hz, 5 s epochs) and completed an activity log concurrently. Individual specific thresholds were determined for moderate intensity during a pace graded wheeling trial. Physical activity and sedentary time were characterized using various derived variables. Results: Twenty five participants (12 tetra:13 para, 21M:4F) demonstrated excellent accelerometer adherence achieving an average of 6.2 days worn for over 13 hours per day. A total of 74.6 min (all activity) and 115 min (contiguous bouts of activity) were achieved over time worn (6.2 days), corresponding to 11.8 and 18.5 min/day respectively. The participants substantially exceeded the published SCI guidelines (40 min/week, P<0.01) but were under the able bodied threshold of 150 min/week (P<0.01). No relationships were observed between surveys and objectively measured PA. Characterization of PA bouts revealed few participants (n=7) exhibiting single bout durations greater than 10 minutes, with an average contiguous bout duration of 30 s. A new functional classification scheme revealed positive correlations to PA variables and wheeling performance. Sedentary times ranged from 6.25 to 8.4 hours per day depending upon accelerometer placement. Conclusion: Arm based accelerometry can be used to determine PA and sedentary characteristics of manual wheelchair users with individual specific moderate intensity thresholds. Participants exceeded the SCI specific activity guidelines in terms of time per week, and failed to reach bout durations of 20 min. This study supports the use of able-bodied PA guidelines as a target. A new functional classification scheme was derived based upon wheeling dependent muscle innervation that had enhanced prediction of PA relative to standard anatomical classification / October 2015

The purpose of this dissertation was to analyze shoulder joint kinematics and electromyographic activities of wheelchair propulsion between two stroke patterns. Twenty physical therapy students (14 females and 6 males, age 27.4 ± 5.9 years, body mass 64.41 ± 9.37 Kg and body height 169.32 ± 9.12 cm) participated. Eleven reflective markers were placed on thorax and right scapula, humerus, third metacarpophalangeal joint and wheelchair axle. Surface electrodes were placed on right pectoralis major, anterior and posterior deltoids, infraspinatus, middle trapezius, biceps brachialis long head and triceps brachialis. Participants propelled a standard wheelchair on a stationary roller system at 0.9 m/s and 1.8 m/s with semicircular (SC) and single loop (SL) stroke patterns for 20 seconds. Three-dimensional body movement and muscle activities were recorded at 100 and 1000 Hz, respectively. All data were compared for differences between two patterns and two speeds using 2-way repeated measures ANOVA (α < .05). Results showed longer drive phase and shorter recovery phase in SC when compared to SL, with no difference found on cycle time. Smaller release angles in SC caused longer angle ranges of hand contact on the pushrim while initial contact angles did not change. During drive phase, smaller scapular protraction range of motion (ROM) was found in SC. Shoulder abduction in drive phase was larger in terms of the maximal angle and ROM. In the recovery phase, minimal scapular tilting, protraction, and shoulder abduction and internal rotation were larger in SC when compared to SL pattern. Shoulder linear velocities and accelerations were higher in both phases for abduction/adduction and flexion/extension in SC. For SC pattern, pectorals major and middle trapezius showed lower activities during drive phase while posterior deltoid and triceps showed higher activities during both phases when compared to SL. Although posterior deltoid and triceps muscles work harder in SC pattern, longer drive phase and lower muscle activities in pectorals major and middle trapezius during the drive phase may make SC the better stroke pattern in wheelchair propulsion when compared to SL.

Independent mobility is critical to quality of life for people of all ages, and impaired mobility leaves one with both physical and mental disadvantages. Unfortunately, there are some individuals unable to operate an electric wheelchair due to physical, perceptual, or cognitive deficits. The prime objective of this research was to develop a prototype system which can provide mobility assistant to individuals who would otherwise find it difficult or impossible to operate a power wheelchair. To accomplish this goal, a prototype system consisting of several components including an embedded microcontroller and multiple sensors has been designed which can be added to a standard power wheelchair and make it smart. The control system algorithm designed for this prototype model is based on the fuzzy logic control theory and its main purpose is to augment the user ability to navigate the wheelchair and will provide a safe and comfortable journey to the user.

No description available.

Wheelchair propulsion is an important part of daily living for many people with spinal cord injuries (SCI's). The aim of this project was to establish the validity of using a new approach for measuring wheelchair propulsion ability. The variation in methods observed by subject's hands in contacting and propelling their wheelchair, namely, using the push rims only; wedging the hands between push rims and tyre and grasping both push rims and tyres, highlighted that earlier studies using instrumented push rims (including the SMART ) for people with tetraplegia would not provide a true indication of propulsion ability for the participants in this study. As a result, a new inertia dynamometer was built and calibrated for measuring wheelchair propulsion ability. Kinetic and kinematic models were developed to calculate wheelchair propulsion parameters such as power output, wheelchair velocity and arm motion patterns. After testing 22 subjects with different SCI levels, the results indicated that arm function was a more important factor in wheelchair propulsion, in terms of power output, than trunk stability and strength. More importantly, people with C5/C6 tetraplegia had a significantly reduced capability in terms of wheelchair propulsion compared with other subjects with a lower lesion (T1-T8, T9-T12 and L1-S5). A further study for quantifying the contribution of triceps function on improving wheelchair propulsion for people with tetraplegia was performed by comparing kinetic and kinematics parameters in C5/C6 tetraplegia subjects. Depending on the control of elbow extension, the subjects were divided into groups with: no active elbow extension, deltoid to triceps transfer surgery (TROIDS) to provide elbow extension, and incomplete C5/C6 tetraplegia with retained active triceps function providing elbow extension. The results demonstrated that the restoration of triceps following TROIDS surgery not only allows active elbow extension, but also increased the amplitude and strength as well as the speed of arm movement. Finally, the results also point to TROIDS allowing a more pronounced and natural push phase and an improved arm movement pattern during both propulsion and recovery phase under normal and extreme conditions.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between the arm joint angle at contact-release with peak velocity in experienced cerebral palsied athletes during wheelchair propulsion. The subjects (n = 5) exercised for a few minutes to familiarize themselves with the roller set up. After practice, each subject was asked to push the wheelchair as fast as possible up to 10 seconds. A tach-generator was attached to the core of the roller and interfaced to a computer via an eight bit A/D converter. The sampling rate of the roller speed was 200Hz. One video camera operating at 30 frames per second, and posisioned 7 m from the roller side was used. The data were analyzed for shoulder, elbow, and wrist angles with the Peak Performance program in I.B.M. compatible computer. Subjects' peak velocities were 8.85, 4.49, 4.19, 3.66, and 4.09 m/s, and the mean percent of contact and release times were 32.8% vs 67.2%. Shoulder, elbow, and wrist contact angles were not statisticaly in this study. Results indicate that contact-release angle on hand-handrim was effected for peak velocity. Also there was no significantrelationship between speed and cycle time.Key WordsRacing wheelchair, cerebral palsy, Peak velocity, Propulsion, Joint angle. / School of Physical Education

Thesis (M.S.) Kinesiology and Health Studies--University of Central Oklahoma, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 41-44).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 170-181). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M.S.)--Springfield College, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M.S.)--Springfield College, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.