Abstract
Lemaire ED, O'Neill PA, Desrosiers MM, Robertson DG. Wheelchair ramp navigation in
snow and ice-grit conditions.
Objective
To explore manual wheelchair propulsion strategies for ramp ascent and descent in
snow and snow-ice-grit conditions.
Design
Cross-sectional study.
Setting
Climatic Engineering and Testing Chamber (Ottawa, Canada).
Participants
Manual wheelchair users (N=11) who typically self-propel their wheelchair in winter.
Interventions
Ramp ascent and descent at 3 grades (1:10, 1:12, 1:16) and 2 winter conditions (packed
snow, packed snow with a freezing rain cover, and traction grit).
Main Outcomes Measures
Type of ascent and descent strategy, success rate, number and severity of obstructions,
average speed, and perceived ramp navigation rating. A questionnaire regarding the
subject's past experiences with wheelchair propulsion in winter.
Results
Snow accumulation on ramps at 1:10 grade will render the ramp inaccessible for many
wheelchair users who do not have external assistance. For snow conditions, the transition
area from the level group to the first 2m of ramp incline were the most difficult
to traverse for both ascent and descent. All subjects were able to ascend and descend
the ramp for the ice-grit condition. Two-railing propulsion is a preferred strategy
for ice-grit ramp navigation because of enhanced trajectory control and reducing the
potential for wheel-slip problems. Backwards ramp ascent was a successful strategy
for ascent in soft-snow conditions.
Conclusions
The 1:16 grade is preferred for winter ramp navigation. Backwards ramp ascent for
snow conditions should be considered for people with sufficient shoulder and trunk
range of motion. Two handrails are recommended for exterior ramps for both propulsion
and wheelchair extraction from ruts and other snow-related obstacles. For ice ramp
navigation, the amount of grit required and the effective time (ie, time to when grit
becomes embedded in snow-ice, becoming much less effective) should be addressed in
further research. Front wheels typically available with manual wheelchairs are not
appropriate for soft-snow conditions.
Key Words
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Article info
Footnotes
Supported by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, External Research Program (grant no. CR6585-L150-1).
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.
Identification
Copyright
© 2010 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
