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Effect of 2-speed geared manual wheelchair propulsion on shoulder pain and function
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Effect of 2-speed geared manual wheelchair propulsion on shoulder pain and function

Margaret A. Finley and Mary M. Rodgers
Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, v 88(12), pp 1622-1627
01 Dec 2007
PMID: 18047877

Abstract

Life Sciences & Biomedicine Rehabilitation Science & Technology Sport Sciences
Objective: To investigate the impact of a manual 2-gear drive wheelchair wheel (MAGICWheels) on shoulder pain and function in manual wheelchair users. Design: A single-group, repeated-measures pre- and post-design with baseline and retention. Setting: General community. Participants: Full-time manual wheelchair users (N=17) currently experiencing shoulder pain (mean age, 46+/-14y; 41 wheelchair use, 15+/-10y). Intervention: Five-month trial using a 2-gear wheelchair wheel. Main Outcomes Measures: The Wheelchair Users Shoulder Pain Index (WUSPI), Wheelchair Users Functional Assessment (WUFA), and timed hill climb test with rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Results: There was significant reduction in shoulder pain after the intervention at week 2 (P=.004) through week 16 (P=.015). The difference was not found at week 20; however, 1 participant reported an increase in pain from unrelated factors during week 20. Change from baseline was calculated without this subject's data; there was a significant reduction in shoulder pain (P=.003). There was no difference in WUFA after using the 2-gear wheel (P=.06). Hill climb time was longer when using the 2-gear wheel (P=.01), but no difference in the RPE (P=.13) resulted. Shoulder pain during the 4-week retention phase showed a trend toward increasing, as indicated by increased WUSPI scores. There was not a significant percentage increase, however, in comparison with the final week of using the MAGICWheels (P<.05). Conclusions: There were pain reductions 2 weeks after using the MAGICWheels, indicating a rapid response to the intervention. These findings indicate the potential for shoulder pain reduction with the use of a manual drive wheel during mobility, even in highly functional manual wheelchair users.

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22 citations in Scopus

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Rehabilitation
Sport Sciences
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