The New Jersey Institute of Technology's
Electronic Theses & Dissertations Project

Title:	Influence of rear wheel tire type on wheelchair propulsion biomechanics
Author:	Yarossi, Mathew
View Online:	njit-etd2011-106 (xii, 67 pages ~ 1.2 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Biomedical Engineering
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Biomedical Engineering
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Dyson-Hudson, Trevor (Committee co-chair) Foulds, Richard A. (Committee co-chair) Forrest, Gail (Committee member) Adamovich, Sergei (Committee member)
Date:	2011-08
Keywords:	Wheelchair propulsion Rear wheel tire type
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	The objective of this study was to determine how rear wheel tire type affects wheelchair propulsion mechanics. Four persons with paraplegia and four persons with tetraplegia propelled their own wheelchairs on a roller system at self-selected speed using five different pairs of tires. Upper limb and trunk kinematics, perceived exertion, stroke pattern and the temporal characteristics of propulsion were measured. When using pneumatic (air filled) tires, with lower rolling resistance, participants had lower push frequency (p < .05), higher self selected speed (p < .05), less perceived exertion, less shoulder internal rotation, and a longer push stroke than when using solid, high rolling resistance tires. As rolling resistance increased, participants experienced negative changes in propulsion characteristic that contradicted current clinical practice guidelines for upper limb preservation following spinal cord injury. In addition, kinematics with solid, high rolling resistance tires were similar to those described during uphill or over carpet propulsion. In order to avoid unnecessary strain on the upper limbs and unwanted changes in propulsion biomechanics, wheelchair users, clinicians, and researchers should consider the use of lower rolling resistance, pneumatic rear tires.