Transfers are crucial for independent mobility. However, transfers can cause problems if appropriate precautions are not considered. For instance, transfers can result in skin damage, overstretching of the low back, wrist and fingers, excessive motion in unstable spinal segments, and shoulder injury. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a transfer measurement system, to determine an objective method to delineate the different phases of a transfer, and to determine the peak dynamic joint forces and moments at the wrist, elbow, and shoulder experienced by wheelchair users with paraplegia during a level tub bench transfer.
A transfer measurement system was developed which consists of a steel frame, two unistruts, two handrail attachments, two aluminum-mounting plates and two force-plates. A mock trial was conducted to determine whether the transfer systems performed correctly. The types of the transfer surfaces that we can evaluate include a tub bench, a toilet seat, and car seat. The phases of transfer from wheelchair to tub bench and back were identified based on force plate data and position and velocity of trunk marker (C7). The phase identification method was used to identify the approximate force coming on the hand during tub bench transfer using force plate data. We studied nine paraplegic subjects transferring from wheelchair to level tub bench and back. We modeled the arm as a serial linkage mechanism in analyzing the peak dynamic joint forces and moments. It was found that peak net joint dynamic forces at the joints are greater in the trailing arm than in the leading arm. It was observed that the peak joint forces were minimum at the wrist and maximum at the shoulder in all nine subjects with paraplegia. The moments at the wrist were lower than the moments at the shoulder. In wheelchair to tub bench transfer, there was an inverse relationship between wrist force and transfer time. Examining leading and trailing arm forces in conjunction with transfer time may assist in modifying transfer styles in individuals with weakness, strength imbalance and shoulder pathologies.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PITT/oai:PITTETD:etd-04222005-144037 |
| Date | 28 April 2005 |
| Creators | Tharakeshwarappa, Nethravathi |
| Contributors | Dr. Diane Collins, Dr. Alicia Koontz, Dr. Michael L Boninger |
| Publisher | University of Pittsburgh |
| Source Sets | University of Pittsburgh |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-04222005-144037/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University of Pittsburgh or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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