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Determining and Controlling External Power Output During Regular Handrim Wheelchair Propulsion

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Published on: February 5, 2020

Environmental Influence on Cognitive-Motor Interaction During Wheelchair Propulsion.

Mikaela L Frechette^1,2, Jacob J Sosnoff³, Manuel Enrique Hernandez^1,4

¹Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.

Journal of Motor Behavior

|June 27, 2025

Summary

Environmental complexity did not affect cognitive or motor dual-task costs during wheelchair propulsion. Wheelchair use requires attention, but varying environments did not worsen performance.

Keywords:

attentional demands cognitive-motor interaction dual-task environmental complexity wheelchair propulsion

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Area of Science:

Rehabilitation Engineering
Human-Computer Interaction
Motor Control

Background:

Wheelchair propulsion is a complex task involving both cognitive and motor processes.
Understanding how environmental factors influence cognitive-motor interactions is crucial for improving wheelchair user safety and efficiency.
Previous research suggests environmental complexity can impact performance in various tasks, but its specific effect on wheelchair propulsion is less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the impact of varying environmental complexity on cognitive-motor interaction during wheelchair propulsion.
To quantify the dual-task costs (DTCs) for cognitive and motor functions in different environmental settings.

Main Methods:

Fourteen participants performed single- and dual-task trials involving wheelchair propulsion and a cognitive task (Serial-7 Subtraction).
Trials were conducted in four environments with differing complexity levels.
Paired samples t-tests and repeated-measures ANOVAs were used to analyze cognitive and motor function changes and DTCs across environments.

Main Results:

Cognitive function remained stable from single- to dual-task conditions across all environments, with no significant differences in cognitive DTCs.
Motor function was compromised in all environments during dual-tasking, but motor DTCs did not significantly differ across environmental complexities.
Wheelchair propulsion demands significant attentional resources, irrespective of environmental complexity.

Conclusions:

Environmental complexity does not appear to exacerbate cognitive or motor dual-task costs during wheelchair propulsion.
Wheelchair propulsion is inherently attentionally demanding, but the tested range of environmental complexity did not impose additional cognitive or motor load.
Future research could explore a wider range of environmental complexities or different types of cognitive tasks to further elucidate these interactions.