Article

OBJECTIVE: To develop and assess some of the measurement properties of a simple
and inexpensive test that can be used to evaluate the wheelchair mobility of
manual wheelchair users.
DESIGN: The initial phase of the study was developmental
and descriptive. For the assessment of reliability and validity, correlations and
comparisons were carried out using within-participant and subgroup comparisons.
SETTING: Rehabilitation center. PARTICIPANTS: Manual wheelchair users (N=58),
a sample of convenience. INTERVENTION: The Wheelchair Propulsion Test (WPT)
consists of wheeling 10m while time is recorded with a stopwatch, and the number
of cycles and propulsion methods are recorded by observation. The WPT was
administered once to each participant. Participants in subgroups involved in the
assessment of reliability, construct, and concurrent validity had an additional
WPT on the same occasion. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Derived measures-speed (m/s),
push frequency (cycles per second) and effectiveness (meters per cycle)-from the
WPT and, for concurrent validity, an instrumented rear wheel. RESULTS: Regarding
intra- and interrater reliability, intraclass correlation coefficients ranged
from .72 to .96. Content validity was qualitatively good. For construct validity,
on univariate or multivariate analyses, we found statistically significant
relations between WPT measures and age, sex, duration of wheelchair use, type of
wheelchair frame, and rolling surface. For concurrent validity, the WPT and
instrumented wheel variables were highly correlated (r range, .92-.99), and there
were no clinically significant differences between them. CONCLUSIONS: The WPT
appears to be a simple and inexpensive test with good measurement properties that
can be used for people who use hand and/or foot propulsion. However, further
study is needed before widespread implementation can be recommended.
CI - Copyright (c) 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS