Clinical Rehabilitation

 

Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Warren, P. M
Right arrow Articles by Hunter, J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Warren, P. M
Right arrow Articles by Hunter, J.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?
Clinical Rehabilitation, Vol. 4, No. 4, 291-297 (1990)
DOI: 10.1177/026921559000400407

Energy costs of one-arm-drive wheelchair propulsion: use of one arm versus one arm and ipsilateral leg

Patricia M Warren

Department of Medicme (RIE), Rayne Laboratory, University of Edinburgh

Anne-Therese Lawrie

Department of Medicme (RIE), Rayne Laboratory, University of Edinburgh

Maureen Reid

Department of Rehabilitation Studies, University of Edinburgh

John Hunter

Department of Rehabilitation Studies, University of Edinburgh

Patients disabled by a stroke may be prescribed a one-arm-drive wheelchair. However, these patients tend to use their good arm and leg to propel themselves rather than one arm only. In 11 normal subjects, we have found that the energy cost of self-propelling a one-arm-drive wheelchair at approximately 1 mph on a track which incorporated a component of steering was less when using both one arm and ipsilateral leg than when using one arm only. The converse was found during exercise on a treadmill where the steering component was eliminated. These differences were significant (p < 0.02) during propulsion at approximately 2mph (n = 8). Qualitatively similar results were obtained in six disabled patients exercising at approximately 1 mph. We conclude that additional use of a leg reduces energy expenditure by helping to steer the wheelchair. In stroke patients, however, ease of use consequent on cognitive impairment will also affect the choice of mode of propulsion.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?