Skip to main content
Log in

Recent Salient Literature Pertaining to the Use of Technology in Wheelchair Sports

  • Rehabilitation Technology (BE Dicianno, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Adapted sports are increasingly recognized as a potent rehabilitative tool for persons with disabilities (PWD), facilitating optimal levels of health and wellbeing. At the same time, increased participation in adapted sports stimulates concomitant growth in technology and innovation worldwide. Success in wheelchair sports is said to be dependent on three factors: the athlete, the wheelchair, and the interaction between the athlete and the wheelchair. Proper use of technology has the potential to impact all the three factors significantly. In recent years, researchers have focused on the investigation of technologies impacting user interface, equipment customization, injury prevention, and performance improvement. This article presents a review of recent publications with a technological focus, selected for their importance and relevance to the field of wheelchair sports (wheelchair rugby, basketball, tennis, handcycling, and wheelchair racing) and for their potential to inform the decision-making process of athletes, coaches, and other healthcare professionals active in the arena of adaptive sports.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

  1. Cooper RA et al. Research on physical activity and health among people with disabilities: a consensus statement. J Rehabil Res Dev. 1999;36(2):142–54.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Goosey-Tolfrey V. Supporting the Paralympic athlete: focus on wheeled sports. Disabil Rehabil. 2010;32(26):2237–43.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Sporner ML et al. Psychosocial impact of participation in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games and Winter Sports Clinic. Disabil Rehabil. 2009;31(5):410–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Hicks AL et al. Long-term exercise training in persons with spinal cord injury: effects on strength, arm ergometry performance and psychological well-being. Spinal Cord. 2003;41(1):34–43.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Tasiemski T et al. The Association of Sports and Physical Recreation with Life Satisfaction in a community sample of people with spinal cord injuries. NeuroRehabilitation. 2005;20(4):253–65.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Washburn RA, Figoni SF. High density lipoprotein cholesterol in individuals with spinal cord injury: the potential role of physical activity. Spinal Cord. 1999;37(10):685–95.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. van der Woude LH, de Groot S, Janssen TW. Manual wheelchairs: research and innovation in rehabilitation, sports, daily life and health. Med Eng Phys. 2006;28(9):905–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Goosey-Tolfrey VL. Physiological profiles of elite wheelchair basketball players in preparation for the 2000 Paralympic Games. Adapt Phys Act Q. 2005;22:57–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Cooper RA. Wheelchair racing sports science: a review. J Rehabil Res Dev. 1990;27(3):295–312.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Rimmer JH, Braddock D. Health promotion for people with physical, cognitive and sensory disabilities: an emerging national priority. Am J Health Promot. 2002;16(4) ii:220–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Cooper RA, De Luigi AJ. Adaptive sports technology and biomechanics: wheelchairs. Pm&R. 2014;6(8):S31–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. McLaurin CA, Brubaker CE. Biomechanics and the wheelchair. Prosthetics Orthot Int. 1991;15(1):24–37.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. van der Woude LH et al. Biomechanics and physiology in active manual wheelchair propulsion. Med Eng Phys. 2001;23(10):713–33.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. America BoN. BMW unveils Team USA racing wheelchair for Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Woodcliff Lake, NJ; 2016

  15. Usma-Alvarez CC, Fuss FK, Subic A. User-centered design customization of rugby wheelchairs based on the Taguchi method. J Mech Des. 2014;136(4) doi:10.1115/1.4026029.

  16. Laferrier JZ, Rice I, Pearlman J, Sporner M, Cooper RM, Liu H, Cooper RA. Technology to improve sports performance in wheelchair sports. Sport Technol Special Issue: Paralympic Sports Technology. 2012;5(1–2):4–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Burton, M., et al., Systematic design customization of sport wheelchairs using the Taguchi method. Engineering of Sport 8: Engineering Emotion - 8th Conference of the International Sports Engineering Association (Isea), 2010; 2 (2): p. 2659–2665

  18. Tolerico ML et al. Assessing mobility characteristics and activity levels of manual wheelchair users. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2007;44(4):561–71.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Mason B et al. Comparing the activity profiles of wheelchair rugby using a miniaturised data logger and radio-frequency tracking system. Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:348048.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Sindall P et al. Data logger device applicability for wheelchair tennis court movement. J Sports Sci. 2015;33(5):527–33.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Sindall P et al. Criterion validity and accuracy of global positioning satellite and data logging devices for wheelchair tennis court movement. J Spinal Cord Med. 2013;36(4):383–93.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  22. Sporner ML et al. Quantification of activity during wheelchair basketball and rugby at the National Veterans Wheelchair Games: a pilot study. Prosthetics Orthot Int. 2009;33(3):210–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Koontz AM et al. Shoulder kinematics and kinetics during two speeds of wheelchair propulsion. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2002;39(6):635–49.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Kulig K et al. Shoulder joint kinetics during the push phase of wheelchair propulsion. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1998;354:132–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Goosey-Tolfrey VL, Lutgendorf M, Mason B, van der Woude L. Effect of glove type on wheelchair rugby sports performance. Sport Technology. 2009;2(3–4):121–8.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Mendoza H. 3D printed gloves for wheelchair racing introduce student to making. 3D Design, 3D Printing July 15, 2015 8/18/2016]; Available from: https://3dprint.com/81545/3d-printed-wheelchair-gloves/

  27. van der Slikke RM et al. Opportunities for measuring wheelchair kinematics in match settings; reliability of a three inertial sensor configuration. J Biomech. 2015;48(12):3398–405.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. •• Bergamini E et al. Wheelchair propulsion biomechanics in junior basketball players: a method for the evaluation of the efficacy of a specific training program. Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:275965. Determined that IMUs mounted on the athlete’s wrists and basketball wheelchair produced reliable data. IMUs were able to quantify performance metrics including propulsion timing, the progression force accelerating the wheelchair forward, the symmetry between the right and left arms in pushing the wheelchair, and the inter-cycle variability of these parameters. IMUs were then used as part of a 3-month training program, which successfully improved strength and coordination compared to a control group

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  29. Hurd WJ et al. Biomechanic evaluation of upper-extremity symmetry during manual wheelchair propulsion over varied terrain. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2008;89(10):1996–2002.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  30. Bregman DJJ, van Drongelen S, Veeger HEJ. Is effective force application in handrim wheelchair propulsion also efficient? Clin Biomech. 2009;24(1):13–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Mercer JL et al. Shoulder joint kinetics and pathology in manual wheelchair users. Clin Biomech. 2006;21(8):781–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. • Rice I et al. The influence of glove type on simulated wheelchair racing propulsion: a pilot study. Int J Sports Med. 2016;37(1):30–5. A three dimensional racing SMART wheel was developed and used successfully to detect performance differences based on glove type in elite wheelchair racers

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. van Drongelen S et al. Development and validity of an instrumented handbike: initial results of propulsion kinetics. Med Eng Phys. 2011;33(9):1167–73.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. van der Woude LH et al. Alternative modes of manual wheelchair ambulation: an overview. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2001;80(10):765–77.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. • Arnet U et al. The effect of crank position and backrest inclination on shoulder load and mechanical efficiency during handcycling. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2014;24(2):386–94. Three dimensional force sensing instrumentation was used with other measures to determine the effects of crank height and backrest inclination on aspects of performance and injury in handcycling. A more upright backrest position was associated with lower shoulder load compared with the most reclined position; however, efficiency was not affected. No differences in shoulder load or efficiency were found between crank positions; however, a reduction in subscapularis force was found at the most distant crank position

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. de Groot S et al. Mountain time trial in handcycling: exercise intensity and predictors of race time in people with spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord. 2014;52(6):455–61.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Arnet U et al. Shoulder load during synchronous handcycling and handrim wheelchair propulsion in persons with paraplegia. J Rehabil Med. 2012;44(3):222–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Hettinga FJ et al. Hand-cycling: an active form of wheeled mobility, recreation, and sports. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am. 2010;21(1):127–40.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Arnet U et al. Shoulder load during handcycling at different incline and speed conditions. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). 2012;27(1):1–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Cooper RA et al. Wheelchair racing efficiency. Disabil Rehabil. 2003;25(4–5):207–12.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Limroongreungrat W et al. An instrumented wheel system for measuring 3-D pushrim kinetics during racing wheelchair propulsion. Res Sports Med. 2009;17(3):182–94.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Cooper RA et al. Methods for determining three-dimensional wheelchair pushrim forces and moments—a technical note. Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development. 1997;34(2):162–70.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. (IPC), I.P.C. International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics Rankings. 2014 8/8/2014]; Available from: http://www.paralympic.org/athletics/results/rankings

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ian Rice.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

Ian Rice declares that he has no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by the author.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Rehabilitation Technology

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rice, I. Recent Salient Literature Pertaining to the Use of Technology in Wheelchair Sports. Curr Phys Med Rehabil Rep 4, 329–335 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40141-016-0141-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40141-016-0141-6

Keywords

Navigation