Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2026
Determining and Controlling External Power Output During Regular Handrim Wheelchair Propulsion
Published on: February 5, 2020
Effects of wheel and hand-rim size on submaximal propulsion in wheelchair athletes
Barry S Mason1, Lucas H V Van Der Woude, Keith Tolfrey
1School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, The Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, United Kingdom.
Purpose:
This study aimed to investigate the effects of fixed gear ratio wheel sizes on the physiological and biomechanical responses to submaximal wheelchair propulsion.
Methods:
Highly trained wheelchair basketball players (N = 13) propelled an adjustable sports wheelchair in three different wheel sizes (24, 25, and 26 inches) on a motor-driven treadmill. Each wheel was equipped with force-sensing hand-rims (SMARTWheel), which collected kinetic and temporal data. Oxygen uptake (V˙O2) and HR responses were measured with high-speed video footage collected to determine three-dimensional upper body joint kinematics.
Results:
Mean power output and work per cycle decreased progressively with increasing wheel size (P < 0.0005). Increasing wheel size also reduced the physiological demand with reductions in VO2 for 25-inch (0.90 ± 0.20 L · min(-1), P = 0.01) and 26-inch wheels (0.87 ± 0.16 L · min(-1), P = 0.001) compared with 24-inch wheels (0.98 ± 0.20 L · min(-1)). In addition, reductions in HR were observed for 26-inch wheels (99 ± 6 beats · min(-1)) compared with 25-inch (103 ± 8 beats · min(-1), P = 0.018) and 24-inch wheels (105 ± 9 beats · min(-1), P = 0.004). Mean resultant forces also decreased progressively with increasing wheel size (P < 0.0005). However, no changes in temporal or upper body joint kinematics existed between wheel sizes.
Conclusions:
A greater power requirement owing to a greater rolling resistance in 24-inch wheels increased the physiological demand and magnitude of force application during submaximal wheelchair propulsion.
