Measuring vibration and shock in power wheelchairs for clinical application

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Human Factors Engineering

Background:

• Whole-body vibration (WBV) exposure is linked to adverse health effects.
• ISO Standard 2631-1 provides guidelines for WBV in vehicles but is not applied to power wheelchairs (PWC).
• A clinical tool to measure live PWC vibration is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure WBV and shock levels during PWC operation.
• To assess the impact of different terrains, PWC base configurations, and seat cushions on vibration exposure.
• To compare measured vibration levels with ISO 2631-1 guidelines.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a sensor tag accelerometer to record vibration and shock data.
• Tested three PWC configurations across seven distinct terrain types.
• Collected data from two trials per wheelchair, per terrain, and per cushion type.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in mean and peak vibration levels were observed across terrains (p < .001).
• Mean vibration levels differed significantly between basic and enhanced seat cushions (p < .001).
• Vibration levels also varied significantly across the three PWC base configurations (p = .0052).

Conclusions:

• Mechanical shock on certain terrains can generate vibration levels with potential health risks.
• Findings highlight the need to consider terrain and PWC configuration in PWC prescription.
• This research provides crucial data to inform the power wheelchair prescription process for improved user health and safety.