Wheelchairs biomechanics, prosthetic d...( idelines appropriate for female wheelch...)

This study examines heart rate-oxygen uptake rate relationship in female wheelchair athletes (WAs) to determine the appropriateness of using American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) target heart rates for training prescription. Ten WAs completed a series of physical activities on a wheelchair ergometer. Oxygen uptake and heart rate were recorded. Limited exercise prescription guidelines have been established for persons who perform wheelchair exercise and the most recent work has been restricted to males. The results suggest that training programs prescribed on the basis of ACSM target heart rate guidelines need not be altered for trained female WAs.

Wheel camber increases sprinting force in wheelchair athletes, pg 421

This study investigates the effects of rear wheel camber—today used mainly in the handibasket championship — on the propulsion cycle. Eight males performed three sprints as measured by a wheelchair ergometer. Data suggest that residual torque increases in proportion to the increase in wheel camber. This could explain other study results, which show a decrease in velocity and an increase in power output and in the time of the propelling phase, in relation to the wheel camber. These results provide information that must be taken into account in the search for the optimal regulation of the user-to-chair interface.

The Smart Wheelchair Component System provides mobility for people with severe disability, pg 429

This article describes the development and evaluation of a prototype of the Smart Wheelchair Component System (SWCS). The SWCS was evaluated on four different wheelchairs using an array of specific navigation tasks and a reliability test in which each wheelchair was configured to wander randomly within an enclosed area populated with obstacles. The SWCS met initial design criteria for safety and performance on a range of whe
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Contact: Judith LaVoie
judith@vard.org
410-962-1800 x 229
VA Research Communications Service
2-Aug-2004