Wheelchair-skill performance: Controlled comparison between people with hemiplegia and able-bodied people simulating hemiplegia

Kirby RL, Adams CD, MacPhee AH, Coolen AL, Harrison ER, Eskes GA, Smith C, MacLeod DA, Dupuis DJ. Wheelchair-skill performance: controlled comparison between people with hemiplegia and able-bodied people simulating hemiplegia. To test the hypothesis that able-bodied people simulating hemiplegia (using the hemiplegic-propulsion pattern [1 arm and 1 leg]) have as much difficulty performing wheelchair skills as people with hemiplegia. Single-blind, controlled comparison of 2 groups. Kinesiologic laboratory in a rehabilitation center. Twenty wheelchair users with hemiplegia (HP group) (median age, 68y; 80% men) and 20 able-bodied participants (AB group) (median age, 67y; 75% men). The participants in the AB group simulated hemiplegia and received a brief period of wheelchair skills training. Participants in both groups were asked to attempt the 50 skills of the Wheelchair Skills Test, version 2.4 (WST 2.4). Total and subtotal percentage scores on the WST 2.4 and success rates for the 50 individual skills. The mean percentage WST scores for the AB group were significantly greater than those for the HP group for the total WST scores (P