Article

PURPOSE: To evaluate the validity of a wheelchair frame-mounted accelerometer for
the assessment of physical activity of wheelchair users. METHOD: Twelve
collegiate wheelchair basketball players participated in this study. The study
was conducted in a modern indoor gymnasium at a university in the USA. A
randomized, crossover experimental design was used to investigate accelerometer
output, participant heart rate, and distance travelled. Participants performed
two trials of wheeling at a combination of two different effort levels (light and
moderate: Prescribed using perceived exertion) and two different modes
(continuous and stop-go). RESULTS: Accelerometer vector magnitude activity counts
(VM), heart rate (HR), and distance travelled were significantly different
between light and moderate effort (p < 0.01). The continuous and stop-go wheeling
modes were not significantly different (p = 0.37) for VM, but were significantly
different (p < 0.01) for both HR and distance. Between-trial reliability of all
data collapsed for the effort and mode combinations were: VM: r = 0.85; HR: r =
0.86; and distance: r = 0.96. CONCLUSION: A wheelchair frame-mounted
accelerometer differentiated between perceptually-prescribed low and moderate
effort levels and may prove to be a valid instrument in the detection of a wheelchair users' physical activity. [Box: see text].

Langue : ANGLAIS