title: Evaluation of 3 pushrim-activated power-assisted wheelchairs in patients with spinal cord injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess differences between manual wheelchairs and 3 pushrim-activated power-assisted wheelchairs (PAPAWs): Servomatic A and B and E-motion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Repeated measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rehabilitation hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Volunteers with spinal cord injuries (N=52).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten subjects propelled the wheelchairs on a dynamometer, 46 evaluated each wheelchair on indoor and outdoor courses, and 10 evaluated their ability to transfer themselves and their wheelchairs into and out of their car.
  
  
  METHODS
  Oxygen consumption per unit time (V˙o2) and heart rate were measured during propulsion on the dynamometer. Wheelchair efficiency on the indoor and outdoor courses was evaluated on the basis of heart rate, completion time, handrim push frequency, and patient satisfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On the dynamometer, decreases in V˙o2 and heart rate were similar with the 3 PAPAWs compared with manual wheelchairs. On the outdoor course, heart rate was significantly decreased by PAPAWs compared with manual wheelchairs and patient satisfaction was better with Servomatic devices than with the E-motion device. Indoors, the course completion time was longer with the E-motion wheelchair than with other wheelchairs in the overall population, and handrim push frequency was higher with the E-motion wheelchair than with other wheelchairs in the subgroup with T12 to L1 injuries. Car transfer ability was lower with PAPAWs than with manual wheelchairs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences exist across PAPAWs. Compared with E-motion, the 2 Servomatic PAPAWs were easier to use outdoors, and difficulty transferring into/out of the car was similarly increased with all 3 PAPAWs.
authors.affiliation: Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Clinic Investigation Center INSERM 1429, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, Garches, France; University of Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, INSERM U 1179, Garches, France; Garches Fundation, Garches, France.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guillon
authors.affiliation: Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Clinic Investigation Center INSERM 1429, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, Garches, France; University of Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, INSERM U 1179, Garches, France; Garches Fundation, Garches, France.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van-Hecke
authors.affiliation: Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Clinic Investigation Center INSERM 1429, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, Garches, France; University of Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, INSERM U 1179, Garches, France; Garches Fundation, Garches, France.
authors.forename: Jérome
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Iddir
authors.affiliation: Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Clinic Investigation Center INSERM 1429, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, Garches, France; University of Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, INSERM U 1179, Garches, France; Garches Fundation, Garches, France.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pellegrini
authors.affiliation: Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Ambroise Paré, Unité de Recherche Clinique Paris Ile de France Ouest, Boulogne Billancourt, France.
authors.forename: Nabil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Beghoul
authors.affiliation: Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Clinic Investigation Center INSERM 1429, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, Garches, France; University of Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, INSERM U 1179, Garches, France; Garches Fundation, Garches, France.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vaugier
authors.affiliation: Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Clinic Investigation Center INSERM 1429, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, Garches, France; University of Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, INSERM U 1179, Garches, France; Garches Fundation, Garches, France.
authors.forename: Marjorie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Figère
authors.affiliation: Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Clinic Investigation Center INSERM 1429, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, Garches, France; University of Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, INSERM U 1179, Garches, France; Garches Fundation, Garches, France.
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pradon
authors.affiliation: Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Clinic Investigation Center INSERM 1429, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, Garches, France; University of Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, INSERM U 1179, Garches, France; Garches Fundation, Garches, France. Electronic address: f.lofaso@rpc.ap-hop-paris.fr.
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lofaso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D004867:Equipment Design; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014910:Wheelchairs
keywords: Oxygen consumption; Rehabilitation; Spinal cord injuries; Wheelchairs