Barbareschi, G;
Holloway, C;
(2019)
An investigation of factors affecting the performance of wheelchair transfers.
Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology
, 14
(5)
pp. 479-488.
10.1080/17483107.2018.1463402.
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Abstract
PURPOSE: Being able to transfer in and out of their wheelchair is an important task for wheelchair users that can be affected by a variety of different factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the interplay between personal characteristics, wheelchair users’ transferring technique and the other factors that can affect the performance of wheelchair transfers. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey study was designed to recruit wheelchair users, aged 18 or older, performing sitting-pivot or standing-pivot wheelchair transfers, independently or with assistance. RESULTS: Forty-two usable surveys were returned. Transferring technique is usually determined by the individual’s impairment. In turn, transferring technique will greatly affect the perceived difficulty of different types of wheelchair transfers and, the number of transfers that people will perform in a day. The presence of upper limb pain increased the difficulty reported for certain types of transfers while the use of assistive technologies appears to be only partially successful in facilitating the performance of wheelchair transfers. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the complexity of the factors included in the performance of wheelchair transfers. Findings from this survey can be utilized to broaden the boundaries of future research. Implications for rehabilitation Transferring technique is usually determined by the individual?s impairment. In turn, transferring technique will greatly affect the perceived difficulty of different types of wheelchair transfers and, the number of transfers that people will perform in a day. The performance of wheelchair transfers exacerbate the painful symptomatology of the person, regardless of their medical condition or transferring technique. The presence of pain increases the reported difficulty of wheelchair trasnfers. Use of assistive technologies during transfers is linked to the increased body weight of the person, while the choice of the type of assistive technology seems to be dependent of the transferring technique used by the person. Overall, available ATs are only moderately effective in enabling people to perform wheelchair transfer and they can be cause of frustration for the users due to their high cost and limited functionality.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | An investigation of factors affecting the performance of wheelchair transfers |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1080/17483107.2018.1463402 |
| Publisher version: | http://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2018.1463402 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
| Keywords: | Wheelchair transfers, survey, assistive technologies, upper limb pain |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Computer Science |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10047166 |
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