Wheelchair prescription: an analysis of factors that affect mobility and performance.

Abstract

Clearly, all considerations for wheelchair performance and their applicability to optimization of mobility are related to user position relative to the main wheel axis. It is also obvious that wheelchair performance is enhanced by a center of gravity position rearward of that which is characteristic of the generic wheelchair. The only obvious features of the generic wheelchair are excessive static stability and limitation of body motion. Perhaps at this stage the reader may be ready to accept some of the arguments presented above, but have reservations about prescribing a less stable wheelchair for the more severely disabled (e.g., quadraplegics). Consider that the reduction of rolling resistance, decrease in downhill turning tendancy, and required turning force would likely be even more important to the user with marginal physical capacity. This would appear as an attractive trade for reduction in static stability. The number of factors unfavorably affected by increased static stability would suggest the use of an anti-tipping device rather than designed static stability if this is thought to be an important consideration.