Giesbrecht Ed, Ripat Jacquie, Borisoff Jaimie, Harrison Kara-Lyn
Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
Rehabilitation Engineering and Design Laboratory, MAKE + Applied Research, British Columbia Institute of Technology, Burnaby, Canada.
Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol. 2025 Apr;20(3):644-651. doi: 10.1080/17483107.2024.2403669. Epub 2024 Sep 19.
Many Canadian manual wheelchair users face many challenges in winter months such as slippage on ice- or snow-covered ramps, snow windrows, and casters becoming stuck in deep or hard packed snow. These barriers impact wheelchair users' ability to participate in the community. This study aimed to evaluate the validity and feasibility of a winter wheelchair obstacle course known as the Standardized Navigation Of Winter Mobility & Accessibility Network (SNOWMAN). The results demonstrated that the SNOWMAN course authentically represented real-world winter conditions, as confirmed by participant responses and qualitative feedback from four manual wheelchair users. The course was comprehensive, covering a range of winter obstacles typically encountered by wheelchair users. Construct validity was established by differentiating performance between manual wheelchairs and a motorized platform with snow tracks, showcasing varying completion times and device satisfaction levels. Feasibility was also assessed, with the administration protocol being mostly adhered to, safety measures implemented, and usability scores meeting acceptable thresholds. The SNOWMAN course showed promise for evaluating wheelchair adaptations and devices for winter conditions, as well as training users in winter mobility skills. Future research directions include comparing different wheeled mobility devices, exploring adaptations for usability in winter, and developing new technology tailored for challenging terrains and winter conditions. The SNOWMAN course could serve as a valuable tool for both research and clinical applications in enhancing winter mobility for wheelchair users.
许多加拿大手动轮椅使用者在冬季面临诸多挑战，比如在冰雪覆盖的坡道上滑倒、遇到雪堤，以及脚轮陷在深厚或压实的雪中。这些障碍影响了轮椅使用者参与社区活动的能力。本研究旨在评估一种名为冬季移动性与无障碍网络标准化导航（SNOWMAN）的冬季轮椅障碍课程的有效性和可行性。结果表明，正如四名手动轮椅使用者的参与反馈和定性意见所证实的，SNOWMAN课程真实地再现了现实世界的冬季状况。该课程内容全面，涵盖了轮椅使用者通常会遇到的一系列冬季障碍。通过区分手动轮椅和带有雪地履带的机动平台之间的性能，建立了结构效度，展示了不同的完成时间和设备满意度水平。还评估了可行性，管理协议大多得到遵守，安全措施得以实施，可用性得分达到可接受的阈值。SNOWMAN课程在评估冬季条件下的轮椅适配和设备以及培训使用者冬季移动技能方面显示出前景。未来的研究方向包括比较不同的轮式移动设备、探索冬季可用性的适配方法，以及开发针对具有挑战性地形和冬季条件的新技术。SNOWMAN课程可作为研究和临床应用中的宝贵工具，用于增强轮椅使用者的冬季移动性。
