Influence of caster diameter on the static and dynamic forward stability of occupied wheelchairs

The hypothesis that the static and dynamic forward stability of an occupied wheelchair would increase as a function of the caster diameter was tested in 20 able-bodied subjects. A device was attached to the wheelchair frame so that casters with different diameters could be used. With platform testing of static stability, the occupied wheelchair equipped with casters with diameters of 10.2, 20.3, 25.4, and 33.0cm, tipped at mean (+/- 1SD) angles of 23.8 degrees (+/- 1.3 degrees), 25.2 degrees (+/- 1.4 degrees), 26.1 degrees (+/- 1.4 degrees), and 28.2 degrees (+/- 1.9 degrees), respectively. The relationship between static stability (y, in degrees) and caster diameter (x, in cm) can be expressed by the equation y = 23.5-.0196 chi + .00484 x2 (p = .0001). Dynamic stability was tested by having subjects descend a 5 degree ramp, by gravity alone, from progressively farther up the ramp until a full forward tip occurred (footrests contacted the floor) when the wheelchair struck a 5-cm-high obstruction with sufficient speed. The mean tipping speeds for the dynamic tests were .85 (+/- .08), .85 (+/- .08), .89 (+/-.07), and 1.04 (+/- .14) m/sec for the wheelchair fitted with the caster diameters ranging from smallest to largest, respectively. The relationship between dynamic stability (y, tipping speed in m/sec) and caster diameter (chi, in cm) can be expressed by the equation y = .788 + .0139 chi-.00110 chi 2 + .0000276 chi 3 (p = .0001). The relationship between caster diameter and forward wheelchair stability should be considered in wheelchair design and prescription.