[PDF][PDF] Everyday sitting behavior of full-time wheelchair users.

SE Sonenblum, SH Sprigle… - Journal of Rehabilitation …, 2016 - rehab.research.va.gov
SE Sonenblum, SH Sprigle, JS Martin
Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development, 2016rehab.research.va.gov
The objective of this study was to describe the inseat movement and weight-shifting
behavior of full-time wheelchair users. We measured everyday sitting behavior for 192 d
across 28 individuals who used manual wheelchairs as their primary mobility device. To
obtain the measurements, we used eight thin force sensors placed under participants'
wheelchair cushions. On a typical day, participants spent an average of 10.6+/-3.0 h in their
wheelchair and transferred out of the wheelchair 8.4+/-4.3 times. Participants only performed …
Abstract
The objective of this study was to describe the inseat movement and weight-shifting behavior of full-time wheelchair users. We measured everyday sitting behavior for 192 d across 28 individuals who used manual wheelchairs as their primary mobility device. To obtain the measurements, we used eight thin force sensors placed under participants’ wheelchair cushions. On a typical day, participants spent an average of 10.6+/-3.0 h in their wheelchair and transferred out of the wheelchair 8.4+/-4.3 times. Participants only performed pressure reliefs (90% off-loading of the entire buttocks for at least 15 s) 0.4+/-0.5 times per hour they were seated in the chair, but they performed weight shifts (WSs)(30%–90% off-loading of at least one side of the buttocks for 15 s) with a frequency of 2.4+/-2.2 times per hour. Despite the higher frequency of WSs, they were not performed in a routine manner. Half of the days studied included one segment of upright sitting lasting at least 2 h without a WS. Given these observations, we conclude that seating evaluations should emphasize positioning individuals in a way that facilitates reaching, leaning, and transferring in a safe manner, not only to improve function but also to affect buttocks loading.
rehab.research.va.gov