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Wheelchair skills tests: a systematic review
Olga J E Kilkens1, Marcel W M Post, Annet J Dallmeijer
1Institute for Rehabilitation Research, PO Box 192, 6430 AD Hoensbroek, The Netherlands. olga.kilkens@irv.nl
Clinical Rehabilitation
|June 6, 2003
Summary
This review identifies 24 manual wheelchair skills tests but highlights inconsistencies in their content and measurement. Standardization is needed for better comparison and evaluation of wheelchair skills tests.
Area of Science:
- Rehabilitation Engineering
- Clinical Biomechanics
- Physical Therapy
Background:
- Manual wheelchair use is crucial for mobility and independence.
- Standardized assessment of wheelchair skills is essential for effective rehabilitation and research.
- A wide variety of wheelchair skills tests exist, potentially leading to inconsistent evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and compare manual wheelchair skills tests.
- To analyze the content, feasibility, outcome parameters, and clinimetric properties of existing tests.
- To identify gaps and areas for improvement in wheelchair skills assessment.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was performed across major databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, Current Contents).
- Included studies described observational tests for manual wheelchair users assessing activity-level skills.
- Data extraction focused on test content, outcome measures, and psychometric properties.
Main Results:
- 34 papers described 24 distinct wheelchair skills tests.
- Commonly assessed skills include propulsion, transfers, and negotiating obstacles.
- Outcome measures varied, with task performance time, independence, and physical strain being most frequent.
- Limited evaluation of clinimetric properties like sensitivity to change, validity, and reliability was reported.
Conclusions:
- Numerous manual wheelchair skills tests exist with diverse approaches to content and measurement.
- The heterogeneity of tests hinders direct comparison of study findings.
- Establishing consensus on core skills and standardizing assessment instruments is recommended to improve test quality and comparability.