Effect of Context-Dependent Modulation of Trunk Muscle Activity on Manual Wheelchair Propulsion

The aims of the study were to reliably determine the two main phases of manual wheelchair propulsion via a simple wearable sensor and to evaluate the effects of modulated trunk and hip stimulation on manual wheelchair propulsion during the challenging tasks of ramp assent and level sprint.

An offline tool was created to identify common features between wrist acceleration signals for all subjects who corresponded to the transitions between the contact and recovery phases of manual wheelchair propulsion. For one individual, the acceleration rules and thresholds were implemented for real-time phase-change event detection and modulation of stimulation.

When pushing with phase-dependent modulated stimulation, there was a significant (P < 0.05) increase in the primary speed variable (5%-6%) and the subject rated pushing as "moderately or very easy." In the offline analysis, the average phase-change event detection success rate was 79% at the end of contact and 71% at the end of recovery across the group.

Signals from simple, wrist-mounted accelerometers can detect the phase transitions during manual wheelchair propulsion instead of elaborate and expensive, instrumented systems. Appropriately timing changes in muscle activation with the propulsion cycle can result in a significant increase in speed, and the system was consistently perceived to be significantly easier to use.