Impact Attenuation and Efficiency Characteristics of a Flexible Wheelchair Handrim

Manual wheelchair users are at considerable risk for developing upper extremity overuse injuries. Novel ergonomic handrim designs hold promise to reduce physical demand on the wheelchair user. In this study, a flexible handrim design was evaluated to assess its effects on impact attenuation and the oxygen cost of propulsion. The flexible handrim was found to reduce the peak rate of loading by 10.2%, 9.5%, and 10.0% for low-, moderate-, and high-impact levels. Oxygen cost of propulsion was assessed through submaximal propulsion on a belt-driven treadmill using a population of wheelchair users. On average, the flexible handrim was found to reduce the oxygen cost of propulsion by 13% (p = .039). Use of the flexible handrim may help reduce the likelihood of developing secondary upper limb impairments related to impact loading or propulsion-induced fatigue.

手动轮椅使用者面临着相当大的上肢过度使用损伤风险。新型符合人体工程学的手轮圈设计有望降低轮椅使用者的体力消耗。在这项研究中，对一种柔性手轮圈设计进行了评估，以确定其对冲击衰减和推进耗氧量的影响。研究发现，在低、中、高冲击水平下，柔性手轮圈使峰值负荷率分别降低了10.2%、9.5%和10.0%。通过让一群轮椅使用者在皮带驱动的跑步机上进行次最大强度的推进，对推进耗氧量进行了评估。平均而言，发现柔性手轮圈可使推进耗氧量降低13%（p = 0.039）。使用柔性手轮圈可能有助于降低因冲击负荷或推进导致的疲劳而引发继发性上肢损伤的可能性。