Course of gross mechanical efficiency in handrim wheelchair propulsion during rehabilitation of people with spinal cord injury: a prospective cohort study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the course of mechanical efficiency of handrim wheelchair propulsion during rehabilitation of subjects with (in)complete paraplegia and tetraplegia.


METHODS
Subjects were tested at the start of active rehabilitation (t1), 3 months later (t2), and when discharged from inpatient rehabilitation (t3). They performed two 3-minute submaximal treadmill exercise blocks in a wheelchair.


METHODS
Eight rehabilitation centers in the Netherlands.


METHODS
Ninety-two people with (in)complete paraplegia and tetraplegia.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Mechanical efficiency values were calculated for each block. The course of mechanical efficiency was investigated using test occasions (t1 -t3), completeness and level (paraplegia or tetraplegia) of the lesion, and power output as independent variables in a multilevel regression analysis.


RESULTS
Mechanical efficiency significantly increased between t1 and t2 only. After adding level and completeness of the lesion and their interactions with time to the model, block 2 showed that subjects with paraplegia had a significantly higher mechanical efficiency than subjects with tetraplegia. Subjects with tetraplegia improved more between t1 and t2 . Differences in mechanical efficiency between subjects with paraplegia and tetraplegia could not be explained by differences in absolute and relative power output levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Results showed a significant improvement in mechanical efficiency during the first 3 months of active rehabilitation. Subjects with paraplegia showed a higher mechanical efficiency than did subjects with tetraplegia, whereas the latter showed more improvement between t1 and t2 .
Institute of Fundamental and Clinical Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. s.de.groot@fbw.vu.nl
Sonja
S
de Groot
Annet J
AJ
Dallmeijer
Olga J
OJ
Kilkens
Floris W
FW
van Asbeck
Anand V
AV
Nene
Edmond L
EL
Angenot
Marcel W
MW
Post
Luc H
LH
van der Woude
D000054:Acceleration; D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000328:Adult; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014910:Wheelchairs