Unit:
Κατεύθυνση Προηγμένη Τεχνολογία και Πληροφορική στην ΑποκατάστασηLibrary of the School of Health Sciences
Supervisors info:
Καρατζάνος Ελευθέριος, Επιστημονικός Συνεργάτης, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Νανάς Σεραφείμ, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Φιλίππου Αναστάσιος, Αναπλ. Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
Το περιεχόμενο και η αποτελεσματικότητα των προγραμμάτων εκπαίδευσης χειροκίνητου αμαξιδίου σε άτομα με αναπηρία
Translated title:
The content and effectiveness of manual wheelchair training programmes for people with disabilities
Summary:
Introduction: In the last decades, the large number of people who need a manual wheelchair as a basic means of transportation has led to the creation of wheelchair training programmes. These programmes aim to improve the users' skills so as to achieve an optimal degree of independence, health and safety when performing Activities of Daily Living.
Objective: To highlight the best methods, features and results in manual wheelchair skills training programmes for chronic wheelchair users.
Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted in 6 online databases. A content analysis process was applied to organize the literature retrieved and to review their relevance. Methodological quality was assessed with the PEDRO scale. The population under study was chronic wheelchair users with or without wheelchair experience.
Results: A total of 14 Controlled Randomized Studies were included. Participants had neurological or musculoskeletal disorders. Most of the training sessions took place mainly in rehabilitation centers, while some in the community, others in the participants' home environment, or in a combination of the above mentioned environments. From the studies included in the review, 11 showed improvement in the intervention group compared to the initial measurements, but also in the control group, in terms of wheelchair handling skills and safety. In 2 studies, there was also improvement in psychosocial factors, participation and self-efficacy.
Conclusions: Wheelchair skills training programmes for manual wheelchair users are beneficial and safe for people with or without wheelchair experience with neurological and musculoskeletal disorders. More research is recommended as far as the characteristics, duration and start time of programs are concerned, the development and testing of new programs to prevent subsequent upper extremity injuries. It is important to note that the content of the programmes must be individualized to the participants’ needs.
Main subject category:
Health Sciences
Keywords:
Manual wheelchair, Chronic disease, Wheelchair skills, Assistive technology, Rehabilitation
