echanical Load on the Upper Extremity During heelchair Activities

Objective: To determine the net moments on the glenohueral joint and elbow joint during wheelchair activities. Design: Kinematics and external forces were measured durng wheelchair activities of daily living (level propulsion, iding on a slope, weight-relief lifting, reaching, negotiating a urb) and processed in an inverse dynamics biomechanic odel. Setting: Biomechanics laboratory. Participants: Five able-bodied subjects, 8 subjects with araplegia, and 4 subjects with tetraplegia. Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure: Net moments on the glenohueral joint and elbow joint. Results: Peak shoulder and elbow moments were signifiantly higher for negotiating a curb and weight-relief lifting han for reaching, level propulsion, and riding on a slope. verall, the elbow extension moments were significantly lower or subjects with tetraplegia than for those with paraplegia. Conclusions: The net moments during weight-relief lifting nd negotiating a curb were high when compared with wheelhair propulsion tasks. Taking the effect of frequency and uration into account, these loads might imply a considerable isk for joint damage in the long term.