Unstable back support against gravity results in a forward head posture and contributes to buttocks pressure ulcers. However, the association between these health problems and a wheelchair backrest is unclear. Our newly developed wheelchair (N-WC) supports the back of the pelvis and thorax from obliquely underneath. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different backrest shapes on head-neck alignment and seated pressure. Data from 28 healthy subjects were analyzed. Outcome measures were head-neck alignment angles, support angles of the backrest, and pressure distributions on the supporting surfaces. Compared with a typical wheelchair that has a flat backrest, the seat pressure decreased and the center of pressure was located in the middle of both the seat and backrest in the N-WC. Moreover, the head-neck alignment when seated in the N-WC was upright. These results highlight the importance of the shape of the wheelchair backrest.
Many poststroke hemiplegic patients have an asymmetrical wheelchair-sitting posture. This study aimed to investigate the impact of different back support shapes on asymmetrical sitting posture and pressure points among poststroke hemiplegic patients during an activities of daily living-related reaching task. This study included 23 poststroke hemiplegic patients who performed tasks that involved the movement of objects using the unaffected upper limb to the affected side while sitting in a conventional wheelchair (C-WC) with a flat back support or a wheelchair providing pelvic and thoracic support (P-WC). Body alignment angles from video images and pressure distribution on supporting surfaces were measured using a twodimensional motion analysis software (Dartfish) and a pressure mapping system (FSA). Regarding movement performance, although postural asymmetry increased in both wheelchair types, the degree of postural variation was smaller with P-WC use than C-WC use (p < 0.05), with partly reduced postural asymmetry. With P-WC, one-sided ischial asymmetrical pressure was significantly less after the movement (p < 0.05). In conclusion, P-WC's back support shape contributed to a decrease in postural asymmetry for pelvic girdle support both at rest and during movement. This highlights the importance of a wheelchair back support shape and may help to increase the quality of activities of daily living movement in poststroke hemiplegic patients in wheelchairs.
We have previously reported the effect of wheelchair with a unique backrest shape with pelvic and thoracic support (P-WC) on healthy individuals. However, the actual effect of P-WC on real users is still unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different backrest shapes on asymmetric seated posture and pressure points in patients with hemiplegia. We compared a typical wheelchair with a flat backrest (T-WC) to P-WC. Ten subjects with hemiparesis were analyzed. Outcome measures were body alignment angles and pressure distributions of the supporting surfaces. The total seat pressure decreased (p<0.01) and total back pressure increased (p<0.05), in P-WC compared with T-WC. The head-neck was more upright (p<0.05) in P-WC than in T-WC. Moreover, the center of pressure was located in the middle of both the seat and backrest (p<0.05), and the high unilateral pressure around the ischial tuberosity was dispersed (p<0.05) in P-WC. In conclusion, the backrest shape of the P-WC contributes to reducing postural asymmetry. These results highlight the importance of the shape of the wheelchair backrest for patients with hemiparesis.
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