Force application during handcycling and handrim wheelchair propulsion: an initial comparison (original) (raw)
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Submaximal physical strain and peak performance in handcycling versus handrim wheelchair propulsion
Spinal Cord, 2004
Study design: Experimental study in subjects with paraplegia and nondisabled subjects. Objective: To compare submaximal physical strain and peak performance in handcycling and handrim wheelchair propulsion in wheelchair-dependent and nondisabled control subjects Setting: Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Methods: Nine male subjects with paraplegia and 10 nondisabled male subjects performed two exercise tests on a motor-driven treadmill using a handrim wheelchair and attach-unit handcycle system. The exercise protocol consisted of two 4-min submaximal exercise bouts at 25 and 35 W, followed by 1-min exercise bouts with increasing power output until exhaustion. Results: Analysis of variance for repeated measures showed a significantly lower oxygen uptake (VO 2), ventilation (Ve), heart rate (HR), rate of perceived exertion and a higher gross efficiency for handcycling at 35 W in both subject groups, while no significant differences were found at 25 W. Peak power output and peak VO 2 , Ve and HR were significantly higher during handcycling in both groups. The differences between handcycling and wheelchair propulsion were the same in subjects with paraplegia and the nondisabled subjects. Conclusions: Handcycling induces significantly less strain at a moderate submaximal level of 35 W, and shows noticeably higher maximal exercise responses than wheelchair propulsion, which is consistent in subjects with paraplegia and nondisabled controls. These results demonstrate that handcycling is beneficial for mobility in daily life of wheelchair users.
2022
Wheelchair users (WCUs) face high rates of upper body overuse injuries, especially in the shoulder. As exercise is recommended to reduce the high rates of cardiovascular disease among WCUs, it is becoming increasingly important to understand the mechanisms behind shoulder soft-tissue injury in WCUs to help prevent future injuries. Understanding the kinetics and kinematics during upper-limb propulsion in wheelchair users is the first step toward evaluating soft-tissue injury risk during both everyday and athletic propulsion modes. This paper examines continuous kinetic and kinematic data available in the literature for four common propulsion modes. Two everyday modes (everyday wheelchair use and attach-unit handcycling) are examined, as well as two athletic modes (wheelchair racing and recumbent handcycling). These athletic modes are important to characterize, especially considering the higher contact forces, speed, and power outputs often experienced during these athletic propulsion modes that could be putting users at increased risk of injury. Understanding the underlying kinetics and kinematics during various propulsion modes can lend insight into shoulder loading, and therefore injury risk, during these activities and inform future exercise guidelines and programs for WCUs.
Hand-rim forces and gross mechanical efficiency at various frequencies of wheelchair propulsion
International journal of sports medicine, 2013
To determine the effects of push frequency changes on force application, fraction of effective force (FEF) and gross efficiency (GE) during hand-rim propulsion. 8 male able-bodied participants performed five 4-min sub-maximal exercise bouts at 1.8 ms(-1); the freely chosen frequency (FCF), followed by 4 counter-balanced trials at 60, 80, 120 and 140% FCF. Kinetic data was obtained using a SMART(Wheel), measuring forces and moments. The GE was determined as the ratio of external work done and the total energy expended. Increased push frequency led to reductions in peak resultant force (P<0.05), ranging from 167 to 117 N and peak tangential force (P<0.05), ranging from 117 to 77 N. However, FEF only demonstrated a significant difference between 60% and 140% FCF (69 ± 9% and 63 ± 7, respectively; P<0.05). Work per cycle decreased significantly (P<0.05) and rate of force development increased significantly (P<0.05) with increased push frequency. GE values were significant...
Comparison of muscle activity during hand rim and lever wheelchair propulsion over flat terrain
Acta of Bioengineering and Biomechanics, 2019
The aim of this study was to compare the activity of upper limb muscles during hand rim wheelchair propulsion and lever wheelchair propulsion at two different velocity levels. Methods: Twenty male volunteers with physical impairments participated in this study. Their task was to push a lever wheelchair and a hand rim wheelchair on a mechanical wheelchair treadmill for 4 minutes at a speed of 3.5 km/h and 4.5 km/h in a flat race setting (conditions of moving over flat terrain). During these trials, activity of eight muscles of upper limbs were examined using surface electromyography. Results: The range of motion in the elbow joint was significantly higher in lever wheelchair propulsion (59.8 ± 2.43°) than in hand rim wheelchair propulsion (43.9 ± 0.26°). Such values of kinematics resulted in a different activity of muscles. All the muscles were more active during lever wheelchair propulsion at both velocity levels. The only exceptions were extensor and flexor carpi muscles which were more active during hand rim wheelchair propulsion due to the specificity of a grip. In turn, the examined change in the velocity (by 1 km/h) while moving over flat terrain also caused a different EMG timing of muscle activation depending on the type of propulsion. Conclusions: Lever wheelchair propulsion seems to be a good alternative to hand rim wheelchair propulsion owing to a different movement technique and a different EMG timing of muscle activity. Therefore, we believe that lever wheelchair propulsion should serve as supplement to traditional propulsion.
Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation
Background Handrim wheelchair propulsion is often assessed in the laboratory on treadmills (TM) or ergometers (WE), under the assumption that they relate to regular overground (OG) propulsion. However, little is known about the agreement of data obtained from TM, WE, and OG propulsion under standardized conditions. The current study aimed to standardize velocity and power output among these three modalities to consequently compare obtained physiological and biomechanical outcome parameters. Methods Seventeen able-bodied participants performed two submaximal practice sessions before taking part in a measurement session consisting of 3 × 4 min of submaximal wheelchair propulsion in each of the different modalities. Power output and speed for TM and WE propulsion were matched with OG propulsion, making them (mechanically) as equal as possible. Physiological data and propulsion kinetics were recorded with a spirometer and a 3D measurement wheel, respectively. Results Agreement among con...
Development and validity of an instrumented handbike: Initial results of propulsion kinetics
Medical Engineering & Physics, 2011
Objective: To investigate the influence of workload setting (speed at constant power, method to impose power) on the propulsion technique (i.e. force and timing characteristics) in handrim wheelchair propulsion. Method: Twelve able-bodied men participated in this study. External forces were measured during handrim wheelchair propulsion on a motor driven treadmill at different velocities and constant power output (to test the forced effect of speed) and at power outputs imposed by incline vs. pulley system (to test the effect of method to impose power). Outcome measures were the force and timing variables of the propulsion technique. Results: FEF and timing variables showed significant differences between the speed conditions when propelling at the same power output (p < 0.01). Push time was reduced while push angle increased. The method to impose power only showed slight differences in the timing variables, however not in the force variables. Conclusions: Researchers and clinicians must be aware of testing and evaluation conditions that may differently affect propulsion technique parameters despite an overall constant power output.
Effect of workload setting on propulsion technique in handrim wheelchair propulsion
Medical Engineering & Physics, 2013
Objective: To investigate the influence of workload setting (speed at constant power, method to impose power) on the propulsion technique (i.e. force and timing characteristics) in handrim wheelchair propulsion. Method: Twelve able-bodied men participated in this study. External forces were measured during handrim wheelchair propulsion on a motor driven treadmill at different velocities and constant power output (to test the forced effect of speed) and at power outputs imposed by incline vs. pulley system (to test the effect of method to impose power). Outcome measures were the force and timing variables of the propulsion technique. Results: FEF and timing variables showed significant differences between the speed conditions when propelling at the same power output (p < 0.01). Push time was reduced while push angle increased. The method to impose power only showed slight differences in the timing variables, however not in the force variables. Conclusions: Researchers and clinicians must be aware of testing and evaluation conditions that may differently affect propulsion technique parameters despite an overall constant power output.
A Systematic Methodology to Analyze the Impact of Hand-Rim Wheelchair Propulsion on the Upper Limb
Sensors, 2019
Manual wheelchair propulsion results in physical demand of the upper limb extremities that, because of its repetitive nature, can lead to chronic pathologies on spinal cord injury patients. The aim of this study was to design and test a methodology to compare kinematic and kinetic variables of the upper limb joints when propelling different wheelchairs. Moreover, this methodology was used to analyze the differences that may exist between paraplegic and tetraplegic patients when propelling two different wheelchairs. Five adults with paraplegia and five adults with tetraplegia performed several propulsion tests. Participants propelled two different wheelchairs for three minutes at 0.833 m/s (3 km/h) with one minute break between the tests. Kinematic and kinetic variables of the upper limb as well as variables with respect to the propulsion style were recorded. Important differences in the kinetic and kinematic variables of the joints of the upper limb were found when comparing paraple...
Shoulder load during handcycling at different incline and speed conditions
Clinical Biomechanics, 2012
Background: The manual wheelchair user population experiences a high prevalence of upper-limb injuries, which are related to a high load on the shoulder joint during activities of daily living, such as handrim wheelchair propulsion. An alternative mode of propulsion is handcycling, where lower external forces are suggested to be applied to reach the same power output as in handrim wheelchair propulsion. This study aimed to quantify glenohumeral contact forces and muscle forces during handcycling and compare them to previous results of handrim wheelchair propulsion. Methods: Ten able-bodied men propelled the handbike on a treadmill at two inclines (1% and 4% with a velocity of 1.66 m/s) and two speed conditions (1.39 and 1.94 m/s with fixed power output). Threedimensional kinematics and kinetics were obtained and used as input for a musculoskeletal model of the arm and shoulder. Output variables were glenohumeral contact forces and forces of important shoulder muscles. Findings: The highest mean and peak glenohumeral contact forces occurred at 4% incline (420 N, 890 N respectively). The scapular part of the deltoideus, the triceps and the trapezius produced the highest force. Interpretation: Due to the circular movement and the continuous force application during handcycling, the glenohumeral contact forces, as well as the muscle forces were clearly lower compared to the results in the existing literature on wheelchair propulsion. These findings prove the assumption that handcycling is mechanically less straining than handrim wheelchair propulsion, which may help preventing overuse to the shoulder complex.