title: Test of Wheeled Mobility (TOWM) and a short wheelie test: a feasibility and validity study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the feasibility and validity of both the Test of Wheeled Mobility (TOWM) and a wheelie test.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  KU Leuven gymnasium.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty male manual wheelchair users (age range 23-53 years) with spinal cord injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants preformed both tests after completing a personal information form and a 'Perceived self-efficacy in WM' scale. The TOWM consists of 30 tasks reflecting functional wheeled mobility. The wheelie test consists of eight tasks measuring the ability to perform a 'wheelie' in challenging situations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ability, performance time, qualitative and anxiety scores were assessed. Convergent validity was tested by correlating the TOWM and the wheelie test scores. Construct validity was assessed by testing whether the four scores of both tests are significantly related to perceived self-efficacy in wheeled mobility, time since injury and sport participation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TOWM average total testing time was 24.7 minutes (±5.93) and the wheelie test was 12.62 minutes (±5.08). Convergent validity was confirmed by the positive correlation between the TOWM and wheelie test total ability scores (r = 0.84; P < 0.001), quality scores (r = 0.88) and anxiety scores (r = 0.66). Moderate correlations were found between the total time scores of the TOWM and wheelie test (r = 0.47). Construct validity was confirmed by fair to moderate correlations between both test's scores with time since injury, self-efficacy and sport participation after injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The TOWM and the wheelie tests are feasible and valid instruments for assessing manual wheelchair mobility in persons with spinal cord injury.
authors: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Faculty of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Leuven, Belgium. douer@netvision.net.il
authors: Osnat
authors: O
authors: Fliess-Douer
authors: Lucas Hv
authors: LH
authors: Van Der Woude
authors: Yves C
authors: YC
authors: Vanlandewijck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014910:Wheelchairs; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Wheeled mobility; evaluation; spinal cord injury; validity; wheelchair skill; wheelie