Levine Iris C, Nirmalanathan Konika, Montgomery Roger E, Novak Alison C
KITE Research Institute, University Health Network, 550 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 2A2, Canada, 1 4165973422 ext 7713.
Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
JMIR Rehabil Assist Technol. 2025 Jul 22;12:e69442. doi: 10.2196/69442.
Grab bars are a multi-function bathing tool. While grab bars are commonly recommended by rehabilitation professionals, existing literature regarding optimal grab bar locations is focused on preference rather than function.
This study aimed to evaluate grab bar grasp location on 8 grab bar configurations during bathtub exit, with and without balance loss, and sit-to-stand (STS) from a bath seat.
Motion capture was used to evaluate grasp location during bathing activities in 28 older (65+ years) and 37 younger (18-35 years) adults. Grasp location was compared between age groups and balance loss conditions using ANOVA, and correlated with body height.
Vertical grasp location varied from close to the bathtub rim to more than 1 meter above the bathtub rim (maximum 22.4 cm), while horizontal grasp location was close to the bathtub rim during bathtub exit, and close to the bath seat during STS. Young adult participants grasped 9.4% lower on vertical grab bars during perturbation trials than nonperturbation trials (P<.01). Body height was positively correlated with grasp height on a vertical grab bar during nonperturbation trials (r=0.67, P<.01), and negatively correlated with grasp distance on a low horizontal grab bar during STS (r=-0.37, P=.03).
Grab bar grasp location varied between proactive and reactive grasp scenarios and was linked to user height for some situations. These findings may be used to guide the selection of a grab bar installation location to support multiple bathing tasks.
扶手是一种多功能沐浴工具。虽然康复专业人员通常推荐使用扶手，但现有关于最佳扶手位置的文献主要集中在偏好而非功能上。
本研究旨在评估8种扶手配置在浴缸出口处（有无平衡丧失）以及从浴缸座椅起身坐立（STS）时的扶手抓握位置。
采用动作捕捉技术评估28名老年人（65岁及以上）和37名年轻人（18 - 35岁）在沐浴活动中的抓握位置。使用方差分析比较年龄组和平衡丧失情况之间的抓握位置，并与身高进行相关性分析。
垂直抓握位置从靠近浴缸边缘到高于浴缸边缘1米多（最大22.4厘米）不等，而水平抓握位置在浴缸出口时靠近浴缸边缘，在STS时靠近浴缸座椅。在有干扰试验中，年轻成年参与者在垂直扶手上的抓握位置比无干扰试验低9.4%（P <.01）。在无干扰试验中，身高与垂直扶手上的抓握高度呈正相关（r = 0.67，P <.01），在STS时，身高与低水平扶手上的抓握距离呈负相关（r = -0.37，P =.03）。
扶手抓握位置在主动抓握和反应性抓握场景之间有所不同，并且在某些情况下与使用者身高有关。这些发现可用于指导选择扶手安装位置，以支持多种沐浴任务。
