The configuration of a manual wheelchair can have a significant impact on the wheelchair user’s mobility and ability to perform activities of daily living. This is supported by research, with Requejo et al (2015) reporting that optimised configuration leads to improved function for wheelchair users. As therapists, we need to have an awareness of what features of a wheelchair can impact most on a person’s functional ability and what we can do to optimize a wheelchair set up for our end users.
In this workshop we explore
- Adjustable vs non-adjustable chairs
- Folding vs rigid frame chairs
- How to establish whether a chair has any adjustment available
- The impact of floor to seat heights and rear wheel position on propulsion
- Use of outcome measures to establish impact of intervention
Participants will be able to
- Identify three differences between folding and rigid frame chairs
- Identify three wheelchair features that impact on wheelchair propulsion efficiency
- Identify two outcome measures suitable for use with manual wheelchair users
Two hours
Introduction to Scripted Manual Wheelchairs