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Updated: Jun 22, 2025
Determining and Controlling External Power Output During Regular Handrim Wheelchair Propulsion
Published on: February 5, 2020
Should I stay or should I go? An exploratory study comparing wheelchair-adapted rowing at home vs. in community gyms
Mine Celebi1, Anika Cheng1, Bonita Sawatzky2,3
1Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Purpose:
Wheelchair users experience many barriers to physical activity as affordable and accessible exercise equipment options are limited. Thus, the home-based adapted rower (aROW) and gym-based aROW were developed. The objectives were to determine: 1) wheelchair users' preferences, perspectives, facilitators, and barriers to using the home-based versus the gym-based aROW, 2) perceived usability of the home and gym aROWs, and 3) recommendations to adapt the aROW further for home and community use.
Materials And Methods:
In this two-phase exploratory mixed-methods study, participants completed one month of using a home aROW, followed by one month of using a community gym aROW. After each phase, participants completed a semi-structured interview and the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire. Interview data were analyzed using conventional content analysis and effect size comparing SUS data was calculated.
Results And Conclusions:
Four categories were identified: what worked well, barriers to using the aROWs, what could be improved and important considerations. There was a large effect size in perceived usability between the aROWs with participants preferring the home aROW. Overall, rowing was enjoyable, and participants achieved positive physical outcomes. As preferences are individual, the home aROW provides wheelchair users with a potential choice between home or gym exercise.
