Investigation Into Potential Causes to a Manual Wheelchair Tip and Fall Incident
By Cooper, Rosemarie, MPT; Cooper, Rory A., PhD; Zipfel, Emily, BFA; RESNA 26th International Annual Conference 2003,Publication Date: 2003
Study conducted to investigate the potential causes of an accident in which a home healthcare professional was transporting female nursing home client in an Invacare 9000 XDT wheelchair. As the wheelchair struck a raised section of sidewalk, the wheelchair came to an abrupt stop, and the client fell from the wheelchair onto the ground. In an investigational simulation conducted at the Human Engineering Research Laboratory, a Hybrid II test dummy and a replacement Invacare 9000 XDT wheelchair were used to recreate the incident. The response of the test dummy was recorded while the wheelchair was pushed into a change of elevation approximately 1 inch high, and then into another change at 2 inches. The wheelchair was able to negotiate the 1-inch elevation in all cases. A fall from the wheelchair was observed when rapidly approaching the 2-inch bump without regard to the obstacle. In all scenarios, a lap belt prevented the test dummy from falling from the wheelchair upon impact with the obstacle.
Assistive Products Discussed: INVACARE 9000 XDT
Published by: Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) (Website:http://www.resna.org)
