Comparison of Shoulder Muscle Electromyographic Activity During Standard Manual Wheelchair and Push-Rim Activated Power Assisted Wheelchair Propulsion in Persons With Complete Tetraplegia

(A) PAPAW. (B) Standard WC placed on ergometer. (C) Custom adjustable wheel axle plate for standard pushrim WC.

Velocity-matched fast propulsion. *Significantly different from PAPAW.

Electromyographic activity of anterior deltoid (ADELT), pectoralis major (PECMAJ), supraspinatus (SUPRA), and infraspinatus (INFRA) during simulated 8% graded propulsion with a standard WC and a PAPAW from a subject with C7 tetraplegia. Solid bars indicate push phase.

(A) Median electromyographic intensity—matched fast propulsion. (B) Peak electromyographic intensity—matched fast propulsion. (C) Electromyographic duration—matched fast propulsion. Abbreviations: ADELT, anterior deltoid; INFRA, infraspinatus; PECMAJ, pectoralis major; SUPRA, supraspinatus. *Significantly different from standard WC .

Electromyographic activity of the anterior deltoid, pectoralis major, supraspinatus, and infraspinatus during self-selected free propulsion with a standard pushrim, self-selected free propulsion with a PAPAW, and self-selected fast propulsion with a standard pushrim and a subject with C7 tetraplegia. Solid lines indicated push phase of propulsion. Abbreviations: ADELT, anterior deltoid; FREE, free propulsion; INFRA, infraspinatus; PECMAJ, pectoralis major; SS FREE, self-selected propulsion; STANDARD, standard pushrim; SUPRA, supraspinatus.