Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 89, Issue 3 , Pages 480-485 , March 2008

Comparing Performance of Manual Wheelchair Skills Using New and Conventional Rear Anti-Tip Devices: Randomized Controlled Trial

  • R. Lee Kirby, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Biostatistics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to R. Lee Kirby, MD, Div of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dept of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4K4, Canada
    • ,
  • Casey G. Corkum, BSc

      Affiliations

    • School of Health and Human Performance, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
    • ,
  • Cher Smith, BSc (OT)

      Affiliations

    • Department of Occupational Therapy, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, Nova Scotia Rehabilitation Centre Site, Halifax, NS, Canada
    • ,
  • Paula Rushton, MClSc (OT)

      Affiliations

    • Department of Occupational Therapy, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, Nova Scotia Rehabilitation Centre Site, Halifax, NS, Canada
    • ,
  • Donald A. MacLeod, MSc

      Affiliations

    • Clinical Locomotor Function Laboratory, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, Nova Scotia Rehabilitation Centre Site, Halifax, NS, Canada.
    • ,
  • Adam Webber, MSc

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada

References 

  1. Kirby RL, Ackroyd-Stolarz SA, Brown MG, Kirkland SA. Wheelchair-related accidents caused by tips and falls among noninstitutionalized users of manually propelled wheelchairs in Nova Scotia. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 1994;73:319–330
  2. Berg K, Hines M, Allen S. Wheelchair users at home: few home modifications and many injurious falls. Am J Public Health. 2002;92:48
  3. Xiang H, Chany AM, Smith GA. Wheelchair related injuries treated in US emergency departments. Inj Prev. 2006;12:8–11
  4. Calder CJ, Kirby RL. Fatal wheelchair-related accidents in the United States. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 1990;69:184–190
  5. Ummat S, Kirby RL. Nonfatal wheelchair-related accidents reported to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 1994;73:163–167
  6. Gaal RP, Rebholtz N, Hotchkiss RD, Pfaelzer PF. Wheelchair rider injuries: consequences for wheelchair design and selection. J Rehabil Res Dev. 1997;34:58–71
  7. Kirby RL, DiPersio M, MacLeod DA. Wheelchair safety: effect of locking or grasping the rear wheels during a rear tip. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1996;77:1266–1270
  8. Kirby RL. Wheelchair stability: important, measurable and modifiable. Technol Disabil. 1996;5:75–80
  9. Kirby RL, Thoren F, Ashton B, Ackroyd-Stolarz SA. Effect of the position of rear antitippers on safety and maneuverability. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1994;75:525–534
  10. Kirby RL, Smith C, Seaman R, Macleod DA, Parker K. The manual wheelchair wheelie: a review of our current understanding of an important motor skill. Disabil Rehabil. 2006;1:119–127
  11. Kirby RL. Anti-tip devices for wheeled conveyances including wheelchairs and methods related thereto. US patent 6,530,598. 2003 Mar 11.
  12. Kirby RL, Lugar JA, Breckenridge C. New wheelie aid for wheelchairs: controlled trial of safety and efficacy. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2001;82:380–390
  13. MacPhee AH, Kirby RL, Coolen AL, Smith C, MacLeod DA, Dupuis DJ. Wheelchair skills training program: a randomized clinical trial on wheelchair users undergoing initial rehabilitation. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2004;85:41–50
  14. Dalhousie University. The Wheelchair Skills Program manual (Version 3.2). http://www.wheelchairskillsprogram.ca/eng/manual.htmAccessed October 9, 2007
  15. Kirby RL, Dupuis DJ, MacPhee AH, et al. The Wheelchair Skills Test (version 2.4): measurement properties. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2004;85:794–804
  16. Begg C, Cho M, Eastwood S, et al. Improving the quality of reporting of randomized controlled trials: the CONSORT statement. JAMA. 1996;276:637–639

 Supported in part by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (grant no. 2004021TG-126560-DAI-CHAA-13681).

 No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the author(s) or upon any organization with which the author(s) is/are associated. The principal investigator holds a patent (Anti-tip devices for wheeled conveyances including wheelchairs and method related thereto. US patent 6,530,598. 2003 Mar 11) on the device that is the focus of this study. It may be commercialized in the future.

 Reprints are not available from the authors.

PII: S0003-9993(07)01753-4

doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2007.08.163

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 89, Issue 3 , Pages 480-485 , March 2008

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