RESEARCH | DEVELOPMENT | TRAINING | DELIVERABLES
Project Director: Stephen Sprigle, PhD, PT
Co-Investigator: Sharon Sonenblum, PhD
The objective of this project is to continue the Mobility RERC´s work in defining the usage of mobility devices in everyday life. While others have address the question: how far do users travel in their wheelchairs daily?, we seek to address the question: "How do people use their wheelchairs?" This is a more complex question that requires different variables to be measured. In particular, the Mobility RERC has developed the construct of 'bouts of mobility' to better characterize how wheelchairs are used in everyday life.
Project Director: Stephen Sprigle, Ph.D., P.T.
The objective of this time-motion study was to document the type and duration of activities involved in the provision of wheeled mobility and seating devices. Equipment was categorized into Complex and Standard equipment. Researchers observed eight rehabilitation technology suppliers and four rehabilitation technicians for two weeks in two metropolitan areas.
Project Director: Stephen Sprigle, Ph.D., P.T. This project is organized and administered under the SCI Model Systems program and the Shepherd Center. The goal of the project is to develop an understanding of how cushion performance changes over time. This will help inform clinicians and users when to replace cushions. The mobility RERC directs all data analysis and interpretation for the investigators at Shepherd Center.
Project Director: Stephen Sprigle, Ph.D., P.T.
Co-Investigator: Sharon Sonenblum, Ph.D.
Advisors: Trevor Dyson-Hudson, M.D.; David Ellis, Ph.D.; Evan Call, M.S.
The overall goal of this project is to develop an individualized pressure ulcer susceptibility model to guide clinical intervention. The specific aims of the project are to: 1) determine the quantitative relationship between pressure ulcer risk factors and the response of buttock tissue to loading in persons with SCI; 2) model the relationship between buttock tissue's response to loading and pressure ulcer development; and 3) create a clinically viable, individualized pressure ulcer susceptibility model for persons with SCI. The individualized susceptibility model will use clinical risk factors to quantitatively predict pressure ulcer outcomes by means of buttock tissue's response to loading. The model will help to establish clinically relevant, evidence-based guidelines for the selection of wheelchair cushions and turning and pressure relief schedules.
Project Directors: Frances Harris, PhD; Jon Sanford, M.Arch
Advisors: James Rimmer, Ph.D. and Marie Latta, MA
This project proposes two sub studies to investigate the relationship between wheelchair type and environmental modifications as they impact activity performance and participation in three settings: home, workplace, and community. The study will produce data to inform policy and funding decisions based on the interactive effects of wheelchair type and environmental facilitators on activity performance and participation in everyday life. Data produced from the project will result in a more systematic understanding of the interaction between wheeled mobility devices and environmental facilitators, which will inform clinician, policy and implementation decisions about the effectiveness of different devices given a particular setting.
Project Director: Yong "Tai" Wang, PhD
Co-Investigator: Michelle Nemeth, PT, CCRP
Advisors: Barbara Crane, PhD, PT, ATP; Trevor Dyson-Hudson, MD; James Rimmer, PhD, Marie Latta, MA
The purpose of this project is to investigate the effectiveness of immediate video feedback for learning advanced manual wheelchair skills. Objectives include 1) conducting randomized clinical trials using real-time video feedback to train three complex wheelchair skills including incline ascent, stationary wheelies and ascending/descending a curb; and 2) developing general guidelines for advanced wheelchair skill training using an immediate video feedback software system
Project Directors: Helen Hoenig, MD; Kevin Caves, ME
Co-investigators: Lawrence Landerman, Ph.D.
Advisors: Marie Latta, MS; Charles Levy, MD
The purpose of this study is to examine how specific types of wheeled mobility devices affect mobility performance of older adults in public environments. The project will examine how mobility performance in real life tasks and environments is impacted by the use of four types of common mobility devices (standard K001 manual wheelchairs, ultralight manual wheelchairs, power assist wheelchairs and scooters). Study results will be used to establish baseline performance data for researchers and clinicians and to identify design improvements for wheelchairs used by community dwelling elders.
Project Directors: Helen Hoenig, M.D.; Kevin Caves, M.E.
Co-investigators: Lawrence Landerman, Ph.D.
Advisor: Charles Levy, M.D.; Barbara Crane, Ph.D., P.T.
During the wheelchair prescription process, clinicians make decisions based upon their assessments of a client's wheelchair needs and estimated usage. To address prescription issues, the objectives of this study are to: 1) determine how well therapists and physicians predict wheelchair use among a group of elders being prescribed a wheelchair for the first-time, 2) determine if familiarity with the user improves predictive ability, 3) determine if the ability to predict wheelchair use changes with wheelchair type, and 4) identify the clinical and socioeconomic factors that are associated with greater or lesser wheelchair use.
Project Director: Stephen Sprigle, PhD, PT
Co-Investigator: Sharon Sonenblum, PhD
Advisors: Trevor Dyson-Hudson, M.D.; Evan Call, M.S.
Clinical practice guidelines dictate that regular pressure reliefs (PRs) are necessary for the prevention of pressure ulcers in persons with spinal cord injuries. Currently, wheelchair users are taught to perform PRs that include both complete, dedicated PRs as well as partial relief maneuvers (i.e., squirming, slight posture changes). Previous studies have not found any association between PR behavior and pressure ulcer occurrence. However, all of these studies based pressure relief behavior on self report data that could not be confirmed and focused solely on complete reliefs. In response to the need to study PRs in a valid and relevant manner, two experiments are being conducted. The PR Technique experiment will compare the effectiveness of complete and partial PR techniques in an SCI population. The second experiment, PR Behaviors, quantifies the relationship between PU history and real-world PR behaviors in persons with spinal cord injuries.
The Mobility RERC is affiliated with:
mobilityrerc@coa.gatech.edu Accessibility Privacy Agreement
The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
The Mobility RERC is supported by Grant H133E080003 of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research of the U.S. Department of Education. The opinions contained in this website are those of the grantee and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Education. ©Copyright 2001-2010 All Rights Reserved, Georgia Tech Research Corporation.
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