Article

The study aimed to investigate the glenohumeral kinematic difference
between the circular and pumping strokes in manual wheelchair users. This is a repeated measures design with randomised testing conditions. We recruited 10
manual wheelchair users and asked them to perform both the pumping and circular
strokes on a stationary roller system. We used the Zebris motion analysis system
to collect the 3-dimension glenohumeral motion data. RESULTS: The pumping and the
circular strokes were similar in the starting and ending positions in the
sagittal plane. However, the pumping stroke started at a significantly larger
abduction and internal rotation and ended with a significantly larger abduction
and even larger internal rotation, it also traveled more ranges in all three
planes and stayed longer in the combined positions of rotation/flexion and
rotation/abduction as compared to the circular stroke. CONCLUSIONS: The circular
stroke appeared more advantageous than the pumping technique in the injury
prevention prospect because the latter involved more flexion, abduction and
internal rotation of the shoulder, which could add more impingement stresses to
the joint. Clinicians may need to prescribe proper wheelchair propulsion
techniques for their clients to avoid accumulating impingement stresses in the shoulder joints.

Langue : ANGLAIS