Effectiveness of a Wheelchair Skills Training Program for Power Mobility Users: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA)

Status

Completed

Conditions

Movement Disorders

Treatments

Other: Wheelchair skills training program

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT01432418

CDHA-RS/2012-133 (Other Identifier)

230378

Details and patient eligibility

About

This is a 3-year multi-centre, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the hypothesis that wheelchair skills training (using a systematic training program called the Wheelchair Skills Training Program) improves wheelchair skills and safety of 144 powered wheelchair users. A second objective is to assess the effects of age, sex, training centre, and participant experience on outcomes, assessing the retention of benefits and assessing the impact of training on other important outcomes.

Enrollment

116 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18+ years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

new or experienced powered wheelchair users
use or are expected to use powered wheelchairs for at least 4 hrs/week
have access to a powered wheelchair with a suitable range of controller settings (i.e. able to climb a 5cm level change) for testing and training
equal or greater than 18 years of age
able to follow directions in either French or English (whichever is in use at the participating site)
have the potential to operate their powered wheelchairs independently
have room for improvement (in the opinion of the potential participant's clinician)
requires no more than minimal assistance for communication and auditory comprehension (in the opinion of the potential participant's clinician)
able to follow 2-step commands
demonstrate the ability to attend training sessions during the intake session
competent to provide their own informed consent
able to be comfortably seated in the powered wheelchairs that will be used for the study (if not their own).

Exclusion criteria

use or are expected to use a scooter
have a rapidly progressive disorder (e.g. amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or terminal cancer)
have significant visual impairments (legally blind)
have unstable medical conditions (e.g. angina, seizures)
have emotional problems (e.g. severe anxiety, depression) that might make participation unsafe or unpleasant