Table 7. Number of participants by self-reported disability type and WMD type for female study participants Female Participants Disability Manual WC Power WC Scooter MPA Spinal Cord Injury 6 (8%) 1 (1.5%) 0 (0%) 1 (1.5%) CP 0 (0%) 2 (3%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) MS 0 (0%) 2 (3%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) Amputee 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) Spina Bifida 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) Other 1 (1.5%) 3 (4%) 1 (1.5%) 0 (0%) Total 7 (9.5%) 8 (11.5%) 1 (1.5%) 1 (1.5%) Transfer Protocols In total 73 participants were enrolled the study. One participant was withdrawn because he being able to independently transfer meeting inclusion criteria but when he came in to do the study he was unable to transfer to any surface independently including a standard therapy mat table which was in the testing room. He was a bilateral amputee that used a power wheelchair. He was 57 years old with a height and weight of 73 inches and 285 lbs respectively. The remaining 72 participants completed all or part of the study protocols as shown in Figure 6. The primary reason why some participants did not complete all study protocols was due to an onset of pain or fatigue experienced part way through the study. Figure 6. Flow chart of the number of participants that did not complete each protocol (Protocols A, B and C) and participants that did not attempt the two step protocols (Protocols D and E) Protocol A Level Transfer: All 72 study participants completed the level transfer in this protocol.
(n=72) Protocol A: No Grab Bars/No Backrest Highest Height (n=71) 26.9 18.0 18.0 18.0 18.0 18.0 28.0 Lowest Height (n=70) 26.9 18.0 18.0 18.0 18.0 18.0 28.0 Protocol B: Grab Bar Option/No Backrest Highest Height (n=72) 24.7 18.0 18.0 18.0 18.0 18.0 28.0 Lowest Height (n=71) 24.8 18.0 18.0 18.0 18.0 18.0 28.0 Protocol C: Grab Bar Option/ Backrest Option Highest Heights (n=72) 24.7 18.0 18.0 18.0 18.0 18.0 28.0 Lowest Heights (n=70) 24.8 18.0 18.0 18.0 18.0 18.0 28.0 Effect of Handhelds on Transfer Height Participant preference for grab bars and backrest heights for protocols B through E are shown in Table 17. For all protocols the tall grab bars were preferred. For protocol C the medium and short back rests were almost equally preferred. Although the participants selected a grab bar and backrest height, not all participants used them when they were on the station. The numbers and percentages of participants that actually used the grab bars are shown in Table 18. Only a few people used the backrests during the transfers. For transferring higher one participant used the backrest with their trailing arm on the way back to their WMD seat after having obtained the transfer. Two participants used the backrest for the minimum height transfers. They used the backrest by their trailing arm moving back to their mobility device seat. Table 17. Grab bar and backrest preferences for protocols B through E Protocol Tall Grab Bar Short Grab Bar Tall Backrest Medium Backrest Short Backrest
(6.00 in) (2.75in) (20.0in) (17.0in) (14.0in) Protocol B Highest Height: n = 54 (76%) n = 17 (24%) NA NA NA Protocol B Lowest Height: n = 54 (77%) n = 16 (23%) NA NA NA Protocol C Highest Height: n = 53 (75%) n = 18 (25%) n = 3 (5%) n = 33 (46%) n = 35 (49%) Protocol C Lowest Height: n = 53 (77%) n = 16 (23%) n = 3 (4%) n = 33 (48%) n = 33 (48%) Protocol D Level to Highest Height n = 52 (81%) n = 12 (19%) NA NA NA Protocol D Level to Lowest Height n = 53 (83%) n = 11 (17%) NA NA NA Protocol E Level to Highest Height n = 53 (83%) n = 11 (17%) NA NA NA Protocol E Level to Lowest Height n = 52 (83%) n = 11 (17%) NA NA NA
Table 18. The use of grab bars for protocols B through E Protocol Leading Arm TO Trailing Arm TO Leading Arm FROM Trailing Arm FROM TO Second Platform Leading TO Second Platform Trailing FROM Second Platform Leading FROM Second Platform Leading Protocol B (n=72) Highest Height: n = 56 (78%) n = 15 (21%) n = 5 (7%) n = 56 (78%) NA NA NA NA Protocol B (n=71) Lowest Height: n = 49 (70%) n = 15 (21%) n = 2 (3%) n = 47 (66%) NA NA NA NA Protocol C (n=72) Highest Height: n = 54 (75%) n = 12 (17%) n = 4 (6%) n = 55 (76%) NA NA NA NA Protocol C (n=71) Lowest Height: n = 51 (72%) n = 12 (17%) n = 1 (1%) n = 47 (66%) NA NA NA NA Protocol D (n=64) Level to Highest Height n = 43 (67%) n = 12 (19%) n = 0 (0%) n = 46 (72%) n = 60 (94%) n =58 (91%) n = 59 (92%) n = 58 (91%) Protocol D (n=64) Level to Lowest Height n = 43 (67%) n = 15 (23%) n = 4 (6%) n = 35 (55%) n = 58 (91%) n =58 (91%) n = 55 (86%) n = 51 (80%) Protocol E(n=64) Level to Highest Height n = 46 (72%) n = 16 (25%) n = 5 (8%) n = 40 (63%) n = 55 (86%) n =53 (83%) n = 52 (81%) n = 51 (80%) Protocol E (n=63) Level to Lowest Height n = 44 (70%) n = 17 (27%) n = 3 (5%) n = 32 (51%) n = 54 (86%) n =53 (84%) n = 51 (81%) n = 51 (81%)