Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, College of Applied Health Sciences University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
Department of Human Development and Family Studies, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol. 2021 Feb;16(2):152-159. doi: 10.1080/17483107.2019.1644676. Epub 2019 Jul 26.
To examine the influence of use of the anterior tilt-in-space power seat function on performance of functional activities, physical health, and user satisfaction on among power wheelchair users.
Ten full-time power wheelchair users with a seat elevator on their current chair participated in a mixed-methods, repeated measures study. At Visit 1 participants completed the Wheelchair Outcome Measure, Functional Mobility Assessment, Wheelchair Users Shoulder Pain Index, Fatigue Severity Scale, and the Spinal Cord Injury Secondary Conditions Scale. Physical assessments were performed to examine transfer quality (transfer assessment instrument), functional reach, activities of daily living (performance assessment of self-care skills), seated balance (function in sitting test), spasticity, respiratory function, and speech production. Approximately 3 days later (Visit 2), participants were trained on use and provided a power wheelchair with anterior tilt to trial for two weeks. After two weeks (Visit 3), the Visit 1 protocol was repeated and a semistructured interview conducted.
Participants lived with disabilities of cerebral palsy, spinal muscular atrophy and multiple sclerosis. With use of anterior tilt, significant improvements were seen among safety of meal preparation, = 0.033, = 0.91 and functional reach in the vertical direction, = 0.000, = 2.62. Subjectively, participants found anterior tilt helpful in performance of reaching tasks in but found the safety equipment restrictive.
Preliminary results indicate that use of the anterior tilt may help to improve performance of functional activities. Additional research is needed to examine the long-term influence of the technology.Implications for rehabilitationThe anterior tilt seat function changes the seat angle orientation in relation to the ground in the sagittal plane and angles the seat forward. As a result, the individual using the assistive technology is positioned in a semistanding position.Preliminary results of this study indicate that with use of anterior tilt, safety of meal preparation and functional reach in the vertical direction significantly improved. Subjectively, participants found anterior tilt helpful in performance of reaching tasks but found the safety equipment restrictive.Additional research is needed to examine the long-term influence of anterior tilt on functional activities, physical health and user satisfaction on among a large and diverse group of power wheelchair users.
研究在电动轮椅使用者中，使用前倾式空间动力座椅功能对其功能活动表现、身体健康和用户满意度的影响。
10 名当前使用带座椅提升器的电动轮椅的全职使用者参与了一项混合方法、重复测量研究。在第一次就诊时，参与者完成了轮椅结果测量量表、功能性移动评估量表、轮椅使用者肩部疼痛指数、疲劳严重程度量表和脊髓损伤继发状况量表。进行了身体评估，以检查转移质量（转移评估工具）、功能伸展、日常生活活动（自理技能表现评估）、坐姿平衡（坐姿测试功能）、痉挛、呼吸功能和言语产生。大约 3 天后（第二次就诊），参与者接受了使用培训，并提供了一台可倾斜的电动轮椅进行为期两周的试用。两周后（第三次就诊），重复了第一次就诊的方案，并进行了半结构化访谈。
参与者患有脑瘫、脊髓性肌萎缩症和多发性硬化症等残疾。使用前倾式座椅后，在准备餐食的安全性方面有显著改善， = 0.033， = 0.91，在垂直方向的功能伸展方面也有显著改善， = 0.000， = 2.62。参与者主观上认为前倾式座椅有助于完成伸手取物任务，但发现安全设备有一定限制。
初步结果表明，使用前倾式座椅可能有助于提高功能活动表现。需要进一步研究来检验该技术的长期影响。
前倾式座椅功能改变了座椅与地面在矢状面的角度关系，使座椅向前倾斜。因此，使用辅助技术的个体处于半站立位置。本研究的初步结果表明，使用前倾式座椅后，准备餐食的安全性和垂直方向的功能伸展有显著改善。参与者主观上认为前倾式座椅有助于完成伸手取物任务，但发现安全设备有一定限制。
需要进一步研究来检验在一个更大和更多样化的电动轮椅使用者群体中，前倾式座椅对功能活动、身体健康和用户满意度的长期影响。
