Effectiveness of a Wheelchair Skills Training Program for Power Mobility Users: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This is a 3-year multi-centre, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the hypothesis that wheelchair skills training (using a systematic training program called the Wheelchair Skills Training Program) improves wheelchair skills and safety of 144 powered wheelchair users. A second objective is to assess the effects of age, sex, training centre, and participant experience on outcomes, assessing the retention of benefits and assessing the impact of training on other important outcomes.

Official Title
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Effectiveness of a Wheelchair Skills Training Program for Power Mobility Users: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Conditions
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Movement Disorders

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Wheelchair skills training program


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: new or experienced powered wheelchair users use or are expected to use powered wheelchairs for at least 4 hrs/week have access to a powered wheelchair with a suitable range of controller settings (i.e. able to climb a 5cm level change) for testing and training equal or greater than 18 years of age able to follow directions in either French or English (whichever is in use at the participating site) have the potential to operate their powered wheelchairs independently have room for improvement (in the opinion of the potential participant's clinician) requires no more than minimal assistance for communication and auditory comprehension (in the opinion of the potential participant's clinician) able to follow 2-step commands demonstrate the ability to attend training sessions during the intake session competent to provide their own informed consent able to be comfortably seated in the powered wheelchairs that will be used for the study (if not their own). Exclusion Criteria: use or are expected to use a scooter have a rapidly progressive disorder (e.g. amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or terminal cancer) have significant visual impairments (legally blind) have unstable medical conditions (e.g. angina, seizures) have emotional problems (e.g. severe anxiety, depression) that might make participation unsafe or unpleasant

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: wheelchair training<br> | Other: Wheelchair skills training program<br>* A training program that uses methods based on the rehabilitation, wheelchair, and motor skills literature to teach wheelchair skills.<br>|
| No Intervention: Control<br>Standard of care only | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change from baseline in Wheelchair Skills, WST 4.1 questionnaire version | A measure of what the person 'can do' (capacity), 'does do' (performance), and the safety of various wheelchair skills. The Wheelchair Skills Test (WST) version 4.1 in questionnaire format will be used. | baseline, 1 month , 3 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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rehabilitation, wheelchairs, safety, disability evaluation, motor skills