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Comparison of wheelchair wheels in terms of vibration and spasticity in people with spinal cord injury

Sigrid N. W. Vorrink, MSc, et al.

Figure 2. Researcher sitting in experimental wheelchair on ramp. Obstacle was placed further from ramp than shown here.

Individuals with spinal cord injury often report that vibrations from wheeling over obstacles can trigger painful spasms. For users of high-end wheelchairs, Spinergy wheels are a popular choice because they are durable, very light, and promoted as being capable of dampening vibration. The results of this study showed no difference in wheelchair vibration when the subjects used Spinergy wheels versus steel-spoked wheels and no difference in subject-reported spasms. Spinergy wheels may be beneficial because they are lighter and easier to transfer, but they may not be useful for reducing spasm-inducing vibrations.



Volume 45 Number 9, 2008
   Pages 1269 — 1280

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