Clinical trial NCT00226252: Manual Wheelchair Propulsion Training
Official title: Manual Wheelchair Propulsion Training
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Manual Wheelchair Users
Keywords: Wheelchair
Propulsion
Biomechanics
Lead sponsor: VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System
Sponsor class: FED
Collaborators: name: University of Pittsburgh
First posted: 2005-09-26
Enrollment: 28
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE

Brief summary: The purpose of this research study is to investigate a manual wheelchair training program to improve the way manual wheelchair users push their wheelchairs.

Detailed description: The purpose of this research is to create a manual wheelchair propulsion-training program (MWPTP) that emphasizes propulsion techniques that improve the manual wheelchair users stroke pattern and efficiency. It is our hope that the design of a manual wheelchair-training program can help to minimize the upper extremity pain and injury often associated with manual wheelchair propulsion.

The MWPTP will exist in three forms, and will be given to three randomly assigned groups of subjects. An instruction only group (IO) will receive general instructions on how to best propel their wheelchair. A feedback group (FB) will receive additional instruction in wheelchair propulsion using a monitor displaying a random combination and amount of biomechanical feedback variables, such as cadence and proportion of time spent in propulsion. Subjects will be coached to develop an appropriate propulsion style that minimizes all of the predetermined feedback measures, which indicate poor technique and maximize all of the graphical measures indicating good propulsion technique. A control group (CG) will receive only testing which will be identical to the testing procedures followed by the IO and FB groups.

Participation in this study will consist of four visits to the Human Engineering Research Lab (HERL) for the FB, IO and CG. Visits 1-4 will be the same, except visit 4 will not include training for any of the groups. All subjects will use their own wheelchair and cushion; however researchers will attach SMART Wheels TM to the subjects' wheelchair in place of their current wheels. The SMART Wheels TM are used to record the forces and moments that occur during propulsion and will not alter the dimensions or feel of the subjects current wheelchair. During each visit, all subjects will be asked to push over a real life course that includes various grades and surfaces. Then they will be asked to push on a wheelchair dynamometer at 1 meter/sec for one minute, 2 meter/sec for one minute, and a self selected speed for one minute. During this time, data will may also be collected with use of an Optotrak kinematic measurement system that incorporates a camera 3D-motion analysis system.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* 18 years of age or greater
* Use of a manual wheelchair as primary means of mobility (\>80% of their ambulation)
* Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) cervical 7 level and lower

Exclusion Criteria:

* Wheelchair athletes having competed in racing in the last year.
* Current upper limb pain that limits mobility.
* \<1 year post inpatient rehabilitation

Primary outcomes:
measure: Stroke frequency, peak forces, time spent in propulsion
timeFrame: initial visit, visit 2 (1 week later), visit 3 (2 weeks later), visit 4 (3 months from initial visit)
measure: Stroke pattern
timeFrame: initial visit, visit 2 (1 week later), visit 3 (2 weeks later), and visit 4 (3 months from initial visit).
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Pittsburgh
country: United States
facility: Human Engineering Research Laboratories
state: Pennsylvania
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Pittsburgh and VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System
name: Michael L Boninger, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: