The mechanical efficiency of wheelchair dependent women during wheelchair ergometry

Few previous studies have attempted to study the response of disabled women to work in a wheelchair. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanical efficiency of wheelchair dependent women (WCD) during progressively loaded wheelchair ergometry. Five WCD subjects with an average confinement of 17.8 years were compared to five able bodied women (AB). Neither maximal oxygen uptake, 1.121 WCD and 1.485 AB (L X min-1) or maximal power outputs, 41.6 WCD and 44.1 AB (watts) were significantly different for the groups. The WCD group, however, demonstrated significantly higher mechanical efficiencies at comparable power outputs, p greater than 0.05. This difference remained when comparisons at about 60, 80, and 90% of VO2 max were made. The average efficiencies over these metabolic levels were 14% WCD and 10.6% AB. Stroke length consistently reduced as power outputs increased with the values lower for the WCD subjects. Average values for the submaximal workloads were 3.17 WCD and 3.76 AB (m x stroke-1) which meant a difference that was 18.6% greater in length for the AB group. The possible influence of this upon the efficiency of wheelchair locomotion was discussed.