Influence of trunk flexion on biomechanics of wheelchair propulsion.
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Adult↗
Biomedical subjects
M M Rodgers
Publications and source records attributed to M M Rodgers.
Reliability of cardiorespiratory measurements during wheelchair ergometry.
The purpose of this research was to evaluate the stability of measures of heart rate (HR) and oxygen uptake (VO2) during repeated 30-minute bouts of constant work-rate wheelchair ergometry. Ten able-bodied subjects (seven male; three female) completed three sequential, single-stage wheelchair ergometer propulsion tests, to exhaustion, at least 48 hours apart, to determine the reliability of measurements of HR and VO2. Power output was determined as the resistance required to elicit 75% of the peak V02 attained during a peak graded exercise wheelchair ergometer test, at a propulsion velocity of three miles per hour and a flywheel roll distance of 6.32 meters. The HR and VO2 measurements were averaged over the last 30 seconds of the first (T1) and second (T2) thirds of the tests and at volitional exhaustion (T3). Significant differences were not observed at any of the data points except for HR at exhaustion. The HR at exhaustion was lower for the third test than for the second test. Intraclass correlation coefficients for HR (R=0.92, 0.95, and 0.86) and VO2 (R=0.95, 0.96, and 0.97) were high across the three tests, at all of the data points, respectively. Coefficients of variation were generally low. The results of this study indicated that, with the exception of HR during exercise sustained longer than approximately 30 minutes, VO2 and HR measurements can be made with high reliability during sustained wheelchair ergometer propulsion.
Adult↗
Influence of training on biomechanics of wheelchair propulsion.
A quasi-experimental longitudinal design was used to compare pre- and posttraining biomechanical and physiological characteristics of wheelchair propulsion in manual wheelchair users (MWCU) across fresh and fatigue states. An instrumented wheelchair ergometer, 3D motion analysis, and computerized open-circuit spirometry were used to collect joint kinetics and kinematics, handrim kinetics, propulsion temporal characteristics, and oxygen uptake pre- and posttraining during a submaximal exercise test to exhaustion. Each subject (n = 19) participated in a specific intervention program of supervised therapeutic exercise (strengthening, stretching, and aerobic exercise) for 6 weeks. Pre- and posttraining measurements were compared with the use of ANOVA with repeated measures. Significant training effects included increased exercise loads for all strengthening activities, decreased stroke frequency, increased maximum elbow extension angle, increased trunk and shoulder flexion/extension range of motion (ROM), increased handrim propulsive moment, increased wrist extension moment, and increased power output. Results suggest that this training program increased biomechanical economy (as defined by propulsive moment) without increasing shoulder or elbow joint stresses.
Adolescent↗