Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 89, Issue 10 , Pages 1958-1964, October 2008

Evaluation of a Stair-Climbing Power Wheelchair in 25 People With Tetraplegia

  • Isabelle Laffont, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Unité de Médecine Physique et de Réadaptation, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Garches, France
    • Centre d'Innovations Technologiques, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Garches, France
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests to Isabelle Laffont, MD, PhD, Unité de Médecine Physique et de Réadaptation, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, 104 Blvd Raymond Poincaré, Garches, 92380, France
    • ,
  • Bruno Guillon, BSc(PT)

      Affiliations

    • AP-HP, Centre d'essai des fauteuils roulants, Fondation Garches,, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Garches, France
    • ,
  • Christophe Fermanian, MD

      Affiliations

    • Centre d'Innovations Technologiques, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Garches, France
    • Unité de Recherche Clinique Paris-Ouest, AP-HP, Hôpital Ambroise Paré, Boulogne, France
    • ,
  • Sophie Pouillot, BSc(OT)

      Affiliations

    • AP-HP, Centre d'essai des fauteuils roulants, Fondation Garches,, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Garches, France
    • ,
  • Alexia Even-Schneider, MD

      Affiliations

    • Unité de Médecine Physique et de Réadaptation, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Garches, France
    • ,
  • François Boyer, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Unité de Médecine Physique et de Réadaptation, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Garches, France
    • ,
  • Maria Ruquet, CRA

      Affiliations

    • Centre d'Innovations Technologiques, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Garches, France
    • ,
  • Philippe Aegerter, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Unité de Recherche Clinique Paris-Ouest, AP-HP, Hôpital Ambroise Paré, Boulogne, France
    • ,
  • Olivier Dizien, MD

      Affiliations

    • Unité de Médecine Physique et de Réadaptation, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Garches, France
    • Deceased.
    • ,
  • Frédéric Lofaso, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Centre d'Innovations Technologiques, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Garches, France

Abstract 

Laffont I, Guillon B, Fermanian C, Pouillot S, Even-Schneider A, Boyer F, Ruquet M, Aegerter P, Dizien O, Lofaso F. Evaluation of a stair-climbing power wheelchair in 25 people with tetraplegia.

Objective

To compare the performance of a power wheelchair with stair-climbing capability (TopChair) and a conventional power wheelchair (Storm3).

Design

A single-center, open-label study.

Setting

A physical medicine and rehabilitation hospital.

Participants

Patients (N=25) who required power wheelchairs because of severe impairments affecting the upper and lower limbs.

Interventions

Indoor and outdoor driving trials with both devices. Curb-clearing and stair-climbing with TopChair.

Main Outcome Measures

Trial duration and Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST) tool; number of failures during driving trials and ability to climb curbs and stairs.

Results

All 25 participants successfully completed the outdoor and indoor trials with both wheelchairs. Although differences in times to trial completion were statistically significant, they were less than 10%. QUEST scores were significantly better with the Storm3 than the TopChair for weight (P=.001), dimension (P=.006), and effectiveness (P=.04). Of the 25 participants, 23 cleared a 20-cm curb without help, and 20 climbed up and down 6 steps. Most participants felt these specific capabilities of the TopChair—for example, curb clearing and stair climbing—were easy to use (22/25 for curb, 21/25 for stairs) and helpful (24/25 and 23/25). A few participants felt insecure (4/25 and 6/25, respectively).

Conclusions

The TopChair is a promising mobility device that enables stair and curb climbing and warrants further study.

Key Words: Rehabilitation, Tetraplegia, Wheelchairs

List of Abbreviations: ANOVA, analysis of variance, ISO, International Organization for Standardization, QUEST, Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology, SCI, spinal cord injury

 

 No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit on the authors or on any organization with which the authors are associated.

PII: S0003-9993(08)00439-5

doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2008.03.008

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 89, Issue 10 , Pages 1958-1964, October 2008

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