Managing Maneuverability and Rear Stability of Adjustable Manual Wheelchairs: An Update

Directional instability of rear caster wheelchairs.

Although less common than conventional front caster wheelchairs, rear caster wheelchairs are still in use for several reasons. Many people find manual rear caster wheelchairs easier to maneuver indoors at slow speeds. This is especially true when the user attempts to maneuver the wheelchair very close to an object, such as a table. Electric wheelchairs often have rear casters to accommodate for...

Low anterior counterweights to improve static rear stability of occupied wheelchairs.

Rear tipping accidents in wheelchairs are a common problem, the likelihood of which may be increased by the combination of a wheelchair with low stability and an occupant with altered body morphology, such as a person with lower limb amputations. This study tests the hypothesis that counterweights on the wheelchair footrests significantly increase static rear stability. In addition to pilot wor...

Curb descent testing of suspension manual wheelchairs.

Manual wheelchair users are subjected to whole-body vibrations (WBV) on a regular basis as they traverse obstacles and uneven surfaces. One way users could protect themselves from secondary injuries related to WBV is by using a suspension manual wheelchair. This study investigated the ability of suspension manual wheelchairs to reduce seat accelerations during curb descents of various heights (...

Performance Analysis of Suspension Manual Wheelchairs

Evaluation of a curb-climbing aid for manual wheelchairs: considerations of stability, effort, and safety.

The experimental and theoretical procedures used to gather ergonomic data and derive theoretical estimates of stability, effort, and safety in use of a curb-climbing aid for standard manual wheelchairs are presented. The aid, intended for use of paraplegic persons, employs ramps which the user while seated in the chair can deploy and retrieve using attached telescoping rods. Ramps and rods may ...