Evaluation of Vibration Exposure of Power Wheelchair Users Over Selected Sidewalk Pavement Surfaces
By Dobson, Annmarie, OTR; Cooper, Rory A., PhD; Wolf, Erik, MS; Fitzgerald, Shirley G., PhD; Ammer, William, BS; Boninger, Michael L., MD; Cooper, Rosemarie, MPT, ATP; RESNA 26th International Annual Conference 2003,Publication Date: 2003
Study conducted to evaluate vibration exposure during electric powered wheelchair driving over six different paved sidewalk surfaces. Surface one was a poured concrete sidewalk with a brush finish; surfaces two, three, and four were made from interlocking concrete pavers placed in a ninety-degree herringbone pattern; while surfaces five and six were constructed on fired clay bricks placed in a forty-five-degree herringbone pattern. A Quickie P200 powered wheelchair from Sunrise Medical was utilized in the study. Ten non-disabled participants were asked to drive the wheelchair over the sidewalk surfaces a total of three times each. For each trial, the tri-axial accelerations were collected at the footrests and seat. When treating the poured concrete as the normative standard, four of the five other surfaces compared most favorably in terms of shock and vibration exposure, and can be considered acceptable as a pedestrian access route for people who use wheelchairs.
Assistive Products Discussed: QUICKIE P200
Published by: Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) (Website:http://www.resna.org)
