A best space for assisted wheelchair users

Abstract

Introduction: Occupational therapists lack manual-handling sensitive tools to assist individual adaptation specifications for assisted wheelchair users, for example, corridor-room turns for extra-long wheelchairs.Method: Engineering based methods identified an experimental set-up. This provided a useful representation of possible manoeuvres in five tasks and proposed a turn difficulty order. Experienced wheelchair assistants (n=22) selected their maximum comfortable wheelchair weight for each turn.Results: Some subjects (3/22) were insensitive to turning-space but all other subjects (19/22) choose their lowest maximum comfortable weight for the tightest turning-space and (17/19) choose their highest weights for space permitting a slow turn. Mean percentage weight increased by 30% from tight to slow turning-space. Results are statistically significant and clinically important. Newcastle University Faculty and Newcastle City Council Research Governance approval obtained. Discussion: Experimental set-up was similar to assisting in confined spaces, subjects were experienced in working in spacious environments and had recent manual handling training so results are supported by good manual handling practice. Assistant-size impact on easiest (highest weight) turning-space is small. Results are applicable to all floor coverings and wheelchair sizes but not to self-propelling wheelchair users. Results are incorporated into a tool, demonstrated by case study. Conclusion: tool-use specifies a best adaptation.

Contrary to basic kinematic modelling, during tight turns, wheelchairs can slide sideways by non-negligible magnitudes: Collision risks may be increased

“…Therefore, experimenter data provided a clearer interpretative framework of tight turn lateral drift and participant data supported the representativeness of experimenter data. Further details of the participant experiment is found in [22].…”

“…Weights gave an approximately 60%-40% rear-front weight distribution, and approximately equal left-right distribution. Participants had self-selected total masses as additional experimental objectives existed [22]. Dynamic theory (see Appendix) indicates that a caster wheel rolling reaction component acts in the direction of lateral drift.…”

“…However, in order to investigate if lateral drift persisted on a different flooring, 10 turns were made directly on the carpet. As persistence of lateral drift on a further floor type was of interest, and as only qualitative comparison was intended and other experimental objectives existed [22], participant turns were made on a vinyl covering soundly adhering to a 5/8 th inch thickness medium density fibreboard placed on a short pile debris-free carpet as other experimental objectives existed. The experimental floors were of buildings constructed within 60 years and considered sufficiently level without need for measurement.…”

“…As the motivation for the contrived turns was to see if operator actions could intentionally affect lateral drift, the 0mm target radius was chosen as the pilot study observation was that lateral drift was relatively small and that direction varied and hence any effect would be relatively large. As manual handling risks existed [21], [22] for the contrived turn and anecdotally were experienced by the experimenter, only the smallest total mass (81kg) was chosen. The wheelchair was turned as slowly as required to meet the intentions.…”

Analyzing Accessibility Barriers Using Cost-Benefit Analysis to Design Reliable Navigation Services for Wheelchair Users

“…In others, a manual wheelchair is propelled by a caregiver or assistant, for those who may be unable to operate the chair themselves (e.g. due to a comorbid cognitive impairment): in this case there can be considerable physical demands placed on this operator [1,2]. For persons who lack physical strength, coordination or control in respect of their upper arms, or those who simply lack physical stamina due to a health condition, an electric wheelchair or scooter would be used: as with manual wheelchairs, there can be a considerable degree of customisation involved in the design of these systems: they are bespoke to the user [18,20,39].…”