HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Rapid Responses are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Maurer, C. L Articles by Sprigle, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Maurer, C. L Articles by Sprigle, S. Related Collections Adaptive/Assistive Devices Kinesiology/Biomechanics Spinal Cord Injuries Social Bookmarking                      What's this?

Effect of Seat Inclination on Seated Pressures of Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury

CL Maurer, PT, MPT, ATP, is Senior Physical Therapist, Seating and Mobility Clinic, Shepherd Center, 2020 Peachtree Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30303 (USA) (chris_maurer{at}shepherd.org).
S Sprigle, PT, PhD, is Associate Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Director, Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access, Atlanta, Ga

Address all correspondence to Ms Maurer

Background and Purpose. Manual wheelchair configurations commonly include "squeezing" the wheelchair frame to improve balance for users with spinal cord injuries. This squeezing is achieved by lowering the rear portion of the seat relative to the front of the seat while maintaining the same back angle. The study's purpose was to examine the effect of increasing posterior seat inclination on buttock interface pressures. Subjects. Nine male and 5 female subjects (mean age=37 years, SD=11.2, range=19–55) with complete thoracic or lumbar spinal cord injury were tested. Methods. Subjects sat on a pressure mat placed over a foam cushion. Pressure readings were taken at seat angles reflecting seat height decreases of 0, 5.1, 7.6, and 10.2 cm (0, 2, 3, and 4 in) of the rear of the seat relative to the front of the seat. An analysis of variance and a Duncan multiple range test were used for data analysis. Results. No meaningful differences were found in measurements of interface pressure (dispersion index, contact area, and seat pressure index), total force on seat, or peak pressure index with posterior seat inclination. Discussion and Conclusion. The data indicate no meaningful evidence that squeezing a wheelchair frame increases seat interface pressures.

Key Words: Interface pressure • Spinal cord injury • Wheelchair

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?