Shoulder overuse injuries and the use of power assist wheelchairs.
Jacinta Maurin - Liberty Rehab.
Many people who are long term active wheelchair users experience chronic shoulder pain. This can impact on the functional abilities of these people and result in a loss of mobility. This paper will provide an overview of research into long term shoulder overuse injuries. For some of these people, power assist wheelchairs will offer a viable option to maintain functional self propulsion, whilst minimizing pain and ongoing damage. An overview of the options available in power assist wheelchairs will be given, as well as guidelines for deciding whether a power assist wheelchair is appropriate and which type of power assist would be most functional. Some research into power assist wheelchairs and their impact on people's function will also be presented. It is expected that at the end of this presentation, the audience will have a good understanding of the risks of shoulder overuse injuries in long term wheelchair users, the options available in power assist wheelchairs and when to use them, and the research available to support the use of power assist options.
The full paper can be downloaded in Microsoft Word and Plain Text formats.