Spinal Cord InjuriesHSNCT04009187
A Wheelchair Propulsion Training Program
A study testing In-person wheelchair propulsion training program and 30-minute education session in people with Spinal Cord Injuries and Multiple Sclerosis, run by Washington University School of Medicine at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The overall purpose of this project is to test the feasibility of a manual wheelchair propulsion program which aims to reduce the chance of development of upper limbs pain and injury. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Spinal Cord Injuries, Multiple Sclerosis, Amputation
- What is being tested?
- In-person wheelchair propulsion training program and 30-minute education session
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 20 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 27 Mar 2018to 22 Oct 2019
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 18-65 years of age
- have a mobility limitation requiring the use of a manual wheelchair (MWC)
- be able to self-propel a MWC bilaterally with their upper extremities
- plan to use a MWC for at least 75% of their activities throughout the day
- live in the community
- understand English at a sixth-grade level or higher
Show all 10Show fewer
- can follow multi-step instructions
- able to provide informed consent independently
- able to tolerate propelling their wheelchair independently for 10m
- be willing to participate in three assessments and six training sessions at the Enabling Mobility in the Community Laboratory (EMC Lab).
Who cannot join
- maneuver their MWC with their lower extremities or with only one upper extremity
- display the proper wheelchair propulsion techniques during the screening process
- MWC position inhibits them from following the CPGs
- bilateral incoordination
- upper extremity strength inequalities resulting in a 12-inch deviation from a marked pathway
- surgeries compromising the integrity of the upper extremities
Show all 10Show fewer
- cardiovascular complications within the past year
- upper extremity or overall bodily pain is rated 8/10 or higher per the Wong-Baker FACES Numeric Pain Scale (FACES)
- currently receiving medical treatment for an acute upper extremity injury
- have a Stage IV pressure injury or are currently hospitalized
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Washington University School of Medicine
St Louis, Missouri, 63108
About this study
Official title: Efficacy of a Wheelchair Propulsion Training Program for Manual Wheelchair Users: a Pilot Study
The overall purpose of this project is to test the feasibility of a manual wheelchair propulsion program which aims to reduce the chance of development of upper limbs pain and injury.
Read the detailed description
The purpose of this project is to develop a feasible wheelchair propulsion training that can fit into an in-patient rehabilitation schedule, and determine the effectiveness of the training protocol. This project consists of a randomized control trial (RCT) for manual wheelchair users (MWUs) that examines the number of manual wheelchair propulsion repetitions required to produce change. For the RCT, we will recruit twenty individuals who use manual wheelchairs as their primary means of mobility and who do not follow the recommended clinical guidelines for propulsion. Participants will be randomized into two independent groups: motor learning repetitions overground (Training Group; n =10), and general education on recommended propulsion techniques (Education Group; n =10). Demographics, cognition, shoulder strength, participation, and wheelchair seating may only be assessed at baseline. Participants then may be assessed from the kinematics of their wheelchair performance overground and on a motorized treadmill. Participants may be tested on their wheelchair propulsion techniques in and outside of the lab, upper extremity pain at baseline, post-intervention, and three-week follow-up; participants may also be asked qualitative questions regarding the intervention experience, the experience with the equipment and the laboratory research, the monitoring setting, and the general experience with the research study.
The primary research question is that will repetition of proper propulsion technique practiced overground result in improved manual wheelchair propulsion biomechanics?
- Conditions
- Spinal Cord Injuries, Multiple Sclerosis, Amputation, Spina Bifida
- Being tested
- In-person wheelchair propulsion training program, 30-minute education session
- Keywords
- manual wheelchair, wheelchair propulsion, motor learning
- Medical subject headings
- Spinal Cord Injuries, Multiple Sclerosis, Spinal Dysraphism
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
In-person wheelchair propulsion training programBehavioural
The wheelchair propulsion (WP) intervention is based on our previous pilot work and the best available evidence on WP training. The CPGs recommend minimizing the force and frequency of pushes while using long strokes during propulsion. Each training session will include massed practice with repetitions overground. Each session is organized to limit the number of variables (i.e., long push strokes and dropping the hands down below axle) presented to the participant at one time. Propulsion Set A will focus on using longer push strokes. Propulsion Set B will focus on dropping the hand down toward the axle. Propulsion Set C will focus on both A and B.
30-minute education sessionBehavioural
Both groups will receive a 30-minute education session regarding the CPGs. This education session will follow the instructions provided in Rice and colleagues. (L. A. Rice et al., 2014). It consists of the importance of practicing biomechanical efficient propulsion. The material lists out the consequences and the impact of upper limb pain and injury. It provides a detailed step by step on how to propel properly. They will view the video that shows the biomechanics of efficient and inefficient propulsion.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Training group | Active comparator | Training group will first receive 30 minutes of education about biomechanically efficient propulsion techniques. They will be tested on this knowledge to make sure participants understand the material. The participant then will be asked to come into the lab for 6 sessions of training, two times per week for three weeks. The training is an hour of the proper wheelchair propulsion techniques broken into 5 parts, 7 minutes each with breaks. Based on the motor learning principles, we gradually increase the components of the training by focusing either hand reaching toward the back of the wheel or hands reaching down toward the axle. Receives: Behavioral: In-person wheelchair propulsion training program; Behavioral: 30-minute education session |
| Control group | Active comparator | Control group will first receive 30 minutes of education about the biomechanically efficient propulsion. They will be tested on this knowledge to make sure participants understand the material. No further training will be implemented with this group. Receives: Behavioral: 30-minute education session |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Motion capture - changes in push angle
Push angle during the push phase of propulsion is assessed with video motion capture (VMC). The VMC system consists of 14 Vero 2.2 digital cameras to detect the location of the reflective markers, specifically on the shoulder, elbow, and wrist. The 3D infrared coordinates will be recorded while participants propel their wheelchair over the ground and on a dynamic roller system. Push angle will be calculated by finding the inner product of the vectors formed by the elbow-shoulder and elbow-wrist. The push angles will be compared across the three testing sessions. This variable corresponds to the recommendations outlined in the clinical practice guidelines. We hypothesize that the increase of push angle will be greater in the training group than the control group.
Measured: Baseline, 3-week after baseline for the control group/immediate after training group intervention, 3-weeks after second assessment
Motion capture - changes in hand-axle distance
Hand-axle distance during the recovery phase of propulsion assessed with video motion capture (VMC). The VMC system consists of 14 Vero 2.2 digital cameras to detect the location of the reflective markers, specifically on the axle and the third metacarpal joint. The 3D infrared coordinates will be recorded while participants propel their wheelchair over the ground and on a dynamic roller system. Hand-axle distance will be calculated by the magnitude of the vector formed by the third metacarpal joint and the axle. The hand-axle will be compared across the three testing sessions. This variable corresponds to the recommendations outlined in the clinical practice guidelines. We hypothesize that the increase of hand-axle distance will be greater in the training group than the control group.
Measured: Baseline, 3-week after baseline for the control group/immediate after training group intervention, 3-weeks after second assessment
Wheelchair Propulsion Test (WPT) - changes in effectiveness
The WPT assesses wheelchair mobility and performance of manual wheelchair users (MWU). The WPT requires MWU to propel using a self-selected natural velocity across 10 meters of a smooth flat surface from a static start. The number of pushes and the time will be recorded. The effectiveness of the propulsion is the displacement per push and will be calculated by the 10 meters divided by the number of pushes. We hypothesize that the increase in the effectiveness of propulsion will be greater in the training group than the control group.
Measured: Baseline, 3-week after baseline for the control group/immediate after training group intervention, 3-weeks after second assessment
Wheelchair Propulsion Test (WPT) - changes in cadence
The WPT assesses wheelchair mobility and performance of manual wheelchair users (MWU). The WPT requires MWU to propel using a self-selected natural velocity across 10 meters of a smooth flat surface from a static start. The number of pushes and the time will be recorded. The cadence of the propulsion is the number of push per second and will be calculated by the number of push divided by the time spent finishing the 10-meters line. We hypothesize that the decrease of cadence will be greater in the training group than the control group.
Measured: Baseline, 3-week after baseline for the control group/immediate after training group intervention, 3-weeks after second assessment
Wheelchair Propulsion Test (WPT) - changes in propulsion pattern
The WPT assesses wheelchair mobility and performance of manual wheelchair users (MWU). The WPT requires MWU to propel using a self-selected natural velocity across 10 meters of a smooth flat surface from a static start. The number of pushes and the time will be recorded. Clinicians will also record whether"during the contact phases, did the subject generally begin the contact between the hands and the hand-rims behind the top dead center of the rear wheel?", and " during the recovery phases, did the subject generally use a path of the hands that was predominantly beneath the handrims?" The clinician will provide his/her evaluation by answering the two questions. It is expected that after the training, the subject will change his/her pattern from both "no" to both "yes". These two questions are based on the clinical practice guidelines (CPG) and only when both answers are "yes", then the participant will be considered following CPG.
Measured: Baseline, 3-week after baseline for the control group/immediate after training group intervention, 3-weeks after second assessment
Outdoor propulsion - ratio of efficient propulsion pattern
During the outdoor propulsion session, participants will push their wheelchair in an outdoor, asphalt surface parking lot with no ceiling for approximately three to five minutes across approximately 200 meters. The parking lot consists of 5°-10°slopes, a flat surface with small potholes, and two small bumps/thresholds. Participants will be told to propel their wheelchair at their regular speed in the parking lot. An experimenter will follow the participant with a body harnessed action camera to record participant's left side propulsion. A video coder will be viewing the recording then judge whether each push with the two questions mentioned in WPT form. The changes in propulsion patterns will be calculated by the amount of CPG-based propulsion divided by the total amount of propulsion. We hypothesize that the ratio increases of the CPG-based propulsion will be greater in the training group than controls.
Measured: Baseline, 3-week after baseline for the control group/immediate after training group intervention, 3-weeks after second assessment
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted5 Jul 2019
- Study start27 Mar 2018
- Primary completion22 Oct 2019
- Study completion22 Oct 2019
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (14)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Spinal Cord InjuriesStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Washington University School of MedicineThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 20 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Washington University School of Medicine
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Kerri Morgan, Washington University School of Medicine
- Investigators
- Kerri Morgan, PhD, Principal investigator, Washington University School of Medicine
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04009187
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 201711056
- Acronym
- HS
- Status last verified
- Apr 2020
- First submitted
- 1 Jul 2019
- Last updated
- 28 Mar 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Publications
Boninger ML, Souza AL, Cooper RA, Fitzgerald SG, Koontz AM, Fay BT. Propulsion patterns and pushrim biomechanics in manual wheelchair propulsion. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2002 May;83(5):718-23. doi: 10.1053/apmr.2002.32455.
PubMed 11994814Morgan KA, Tucker SM, Klaesner JW, Engsberg JR. A motor learning approach to training wheelchair propulsion biomechanics for new manual wheelchair users: A pilot study. J Spinal Cord Med. 2017 May;40(3):304-315. doi: 10.1080/10790268.2015.1120408. Epub 2015 Dec 16.
PubMed 26674751Will, K., Engsberg, J. R., Foreman, M., Klaesner, J., Birkenmeier, R., & Morgan, K. A. (2015). Repetition based training for efficient propulsion in new manual wheelchair users. Journal of Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation & Disabilities, 1(001), 1-9.
Morgan KA, Engsberg JR, Gray DB. Important wheelchair skills for new manual wheelchair users: health care professional and wheelchair user perspectives. Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol. 2017 Jan;12(1):28-38. doi: 10.3109/17483107.2015.1063015. Epub 2015 Jul 3.
PubMed 26138222Paralyzed Veterans of America Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine. Preservation of upper limb function following spinal cord injury: a clinical practice guideline for health-care professionals. J Spinal Cord Med. 2005;28(5):434-70. doi: 10.1080/10790268.2005.11753844. No abstract available.
PubMed 16869091Sawatzky B, DiGiovine C, Berner T, Roesler T, Katte L. The need for updated clinical practice guidelines for preservation of upper extremities in manual wheelchair users: a position paper. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2015 Apr;94(4):313-24. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000000203.
PubMed 25299526Askari S, Kirby RL, Parker K, Thompson K, O'Neill J. Wheelchair propulsion test: development and measurement properties of a new test for manual wheelchair users. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2013 Sep;94(9):1690-8. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2013.03.002. Epub 2013 Mar 14.
PubMed 23499781MacPhee AH, Kirby RL, Coolen AL, Smith C, MacLeod DA, Dupuis DJ. Wheelchair skills training program: A randomized clinical trial of wheelchair users undergoing initial rehabilitation. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2004 Jan;85(1):41-50. doi: 10.1016/s0003-9993(03)00364-2.
PubMed 14970966Axelson, P., Chesney, D. Y., Minkel, J., & Perr, A. (1996). The manual wheelchair training guide. Santa Cruz, CA: Pax Press,1996.
Kirby RL, Dupuis DJ, Macphee AH, Coolen AL, Smith C, Best KL, Newton AM, Mountain AD, Macleod DA, Bonaparte JP. The wheelchair skills test (version 2.4): measurement properties. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2004 May;85(5):794-804. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2003.07.007.
PubMed 15129405Rice IM, Pohlig RT, Gallagher JD, Boninger ML. Handrim wheelchair propulsion training effect on overground propulsion using biomechanical real-time visual feedback. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2013 Feb;94(2):256-63. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2012.09.014. Epub 2012 Sep 26.
PubMed 23022092DeGroot KK, Hollingsworth HH, Morgan KA, Morris CL, Gray DB. The influence of verbal training and visual feedback on manual wheelchair propulsion. Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol. 2009 Mar;4(2):86-94. doi: 10.1080/17483100802613685.
PubMed 19253097Rice LA, Smith I, Kelleher AR, Greenwald K, Boninger ML. Impact of a wheelchair education protocol based on practice guidelines for preservation of upper-limb function: a randomized trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2014 Jan;95(1):10-19.e11. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2013.06.028. Epub 2013 Jul 13.
PubMed 23856151Klaesner J, Morgan KA, Gray DB. The development of an instrumented wheelchair propulsion testing and training device. Assist Technol. 2014 Spring;26(1):24-32. doi: 10.1080/10400435.2013.792020.
PubMed 24800451
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 28 Mar 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Efficacy of a Wheelchair Propulsion Training Program for Manual Wheelchair Users: a Pilot Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04009187
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- HS / 201711056
- Conditions
- Spinal Cord Injuries, Multiple Sclerosis, Amputation, Spina Bifida
- Keywords
- manual wheelchair, wheelchair propulsion, motor learning
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 20 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Washington University School of MedicineUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 27 Mar 2018 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 22 Oct 2019 (actual)
- Study completion
- 22 Oct 2019 (actual)
- First posted
- 5 Jul 2019 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The overall purpose of this project is to test the feasibility of a manual wheelchair propulsion program which aims to reduce the chance of development of upper limbs pain and injury.
Detailed description
The purpose of this project is to develop a feasible wheelchair propulsion training that can fit into an in-patient rehabilitation schedule, and determine the effectiveness of the training protocol. This project consists of a randomized control trial (RCT) for manual wheelchair users (MWUs) that examines the number of manual wheelchair propulsion repetitions required to produce change. For the RCT, we will recruit twenty individuals who use manual wheelchairs as their primary means of mobility and who do not follow the recommended clinical guidelines for propulsion. Participants will be randomized into two independent groups: motor learning repetitions overground (Training Group; n =10), and general education on recommended propulsion techniques (Education Group; n =10). Demographics, cognition, shoulder strength, participation, and wheelchair seating may only be assessed at baseline. Participants then may be assessed from the kinematics of their wheelchair performance overground and on a motorized treadmill. Participants may be tested on their wheelchair propulsion techniques in and outside of the lab, upper extremity pain at baseline, post-intervention, and three-week follow-up; participants may also be asked qualitative questions regarding the intervention experience, the experience with the equipment and the laboratory research, the monitoring setting, and the general experience with the research study.
The primary research question is that will repetition of proper propulsion technique practiced overground result in improved manual wheelchair propulsion biomechanics?
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Training group | Active comparator | Behavioral: In-person wheelchair propulsion training program, Behavioral: 30-minute education sessionTraining group will first receive 30 minutes of education about biomechanically efficient propulsion techniques. They will be tested on this knowledge to make sure participants understand the material. The participant then will be asked to come into the lab for 6 sessions of training, two times per week for three weeks. The training is an hour of the proper wheelchair propulsion techniques broken into 5 parts, 7 minutes each with breaks. Based on the motor learning principles, we gradually increase the components of the training by focusing either hand reaching toward the back of the wheel or hands reaching down toward the axle. |
| Control group | Active comparator | Behavioral: 30-minute education sessionControl group will first receive 30 minutes of education about the biomechanically efficient propulsion. They will be tested on this knowledge to make sure participants understand the material. No further training will be implemented with this group. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (10 listed)
- 18-65 years of age
- have a mobility limitation requiring the use of a manual wheelchair (MWC)
- be able to self-propel a MWC bilaterally with their upper extremities
- plan to use a MWC for at least 75% of their activities throughout the day
- live in the community
Key exclusion criteria (10 listed)
- maneuver their MWC with their lower extremities or with only one upper extremity
- display the proper wheelchair propulsion techniques during the screening process
- MWC position inhibits them from following the CPGs
- bilateral incoordination
- upper extremity strength inequalities resulting in a 12-inch deviation from a marked pathway
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| In-person wheelchair propulsion training programThe wheelchair propulsion (WP) intervention is based on our previous pilot work and the best available evidence on WP training. The CPGs recommend minimizing the force and frequency of pushes while using long strokes during propulsion. Each training session will include massed practice with repetitions overground. Each session is organized to limit the number of variables (i.e., long push strokes and dropping the hands down below axle) presented to the participant at one time. Propulsion Set A will focus on using longer push strokes. Propulsion Set B will focus on dropping the hand down toward the axle. Propulsion Set C will focus on both A and B. | Behavioural | Training group |
| 30-minute education sessionBoth groups will receive a 30-minute education session regarding the CPGs. This education session will follow the instructions provided in Rice and colleagues. (L. A. Rice et al., 2014). It consists of the importance of practicing biomechanical efficient propulsion. The material lists out the consequences and the impact of upper limb pain and injury. It provides a detailed step by step on how to propel properly. They will view the video that shows the biomechanics of efficient and inefficient propulsion. | Behavioural | Control group, Training group |
Primary outcome
Motion capture - changes in push angle
Time frame: Baseline, 3-week after baseline for the control group/immediate after training group intervention, 3-weeks after second assessment
Push angle during the push phase of propulsion is assessed with video motion capture (VMC). The VMC system consists of 14 Vero 2.2 digital cameras to detect the location of the reflective markers, specifically on the shoulder, elbow, and wrist. The 3D infrared coordinates will be recorded while participants propel their wheelchair over the ground and on a dynamic roller system. Push angle will be calculated by finding the inner product of the vectors formed by the elbow-shoulder and elbow-wrist. The push angles will be compared across the three testing sessions. This variable corresponds to the recommendations outlined in the clinical practice guidelines. We hypothesize that the increase of push angle will be greater in the training group than the control group.
Motion capture - changes in hand-axle distance
Time frame: Baseline, 3-week after baseline for the control group/immediate after training group intervention, 3-weeks after second assessment
Hand-axle distance during the recovery phase of propulsion assessed with video motion capture (VMC). The VMC system consists of 14 Vero 2.2 digital cameras to detect the location of the reflective markers, specifically on the axle and the third metacarpal joint. The 3D infrared coordinates will be recorded while participants propel their wheelchair over the ground and on a dynamic roller system. Hand-axle distance will be calculated by the magnitude of the vector formed by the third metacarpal joint and the axle. The hand-axle will be compared across the three testing sessions. This variable corresponds to the recommendations outlined in the clinical practice guidelines. We hypothesize that the increase of hand-axle distance will be greater in the training group than the control group.
Wheelchair Propulsion Test (WPT) - changes in effectiveness
Time frame: Baseline, 3-week after baseline for the control group/immediate after training group intervention, 3-weeks after second assessment
The WPT assesses wheelchair mobility and performance of manual wheelchair users (MWU). The WPT requires MWU to propel using a self-selected natural velocity across 10 meters of a smooth flat surface from a static start. The number of pushes and the time will be recorded. The effectiveness of the propulsion is the displacement per push and will be calculated by the 10 meters divided by the number of pushes. We hypothesize that the increase in the effectiveness of propulsion will be greater in the training group than the control group.
Wheelchair Propulsion Test (WPT) - changes in cadence
Time frame: Baseline, 3-week after baseline for the control group/immediate after training group intervention, 3-weeks after second assessment
The WPT assesses wheelchair mobility and performance of manual wheelchair users (MWU). The WPT requires MWU to propel using a self-selected natural velocity across 10 meters of a smooth flat surface from a static start. The number of pushes and the time will be recorded. The cadence of the propulsion is the number of push per second and will be calculated by the number of push divided by the time spent finishing the 10-meters line. We hypothesize that the decrease of cadence will be greater in the training group than the control group.
Wheelchair Propulsion Test (WPT) - changes in propulsion pattern
Time frame: Baseline, 3-week after baseline for the control group/immediate after training group intervention, 3-weeks after second assessment
The WPT assesses wheelchair mobility and performance of manual wheelchair users (MWU). The WPT requires MWU to propel using a self-selected natural velocity across 10 meters of a smooth flat surface from a static start. The number of pushes and the time will be recorded. Clinicians will also record whether"during the contact phases, did the subject generally begin the contact between the hands and the hand-rims behind the top dead center of the rear wheel?", and " during the recovery phases, did the subject generally use a path of the hands that was predominantly beneath the handrims?" The clinician will provide his/her evaluation by answering the two questions. It is expected that after the training, the subject will change his/her pattern from both "no" to both "yes". These two questions are based on the clinical practice guidelines (CPG) and only when both answers are "yes", then the participant will be considered following CPG.
Outdoor propulsion - ratio of efficient propulsion pattern
Time frame: Baseline, 3-week after baseline for the control group/immediate after training group intervention, 3-weeks after second assessment
During the outdoor propulsion session, participants will push their wheelchair in an outdoor, asphalt surface parking lot with no ceiling for approximately three to five minutes across approximately 200 meters. The parking lot consists of 5°-10°slopes, a flat surface with small potholes, and two small bumps/thresholds. Participants will be told to propel their wheelchair at their regular speed in the parking lot. An experimenter will follow the participant with a body harnessed action camera to record participant's left side propulsion. A video coder will be viewing the recording then judge whether each push with the two questions mentioned in WPT form. The changes in propulsion patterns will be calculated by the amount of CPG-based propulsion divided by the total amount of propulsion. We hypothesize that the ratio increases of the CPG-based propulsion will be greater in the training group than controls.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 28 Mar 2025.
- Background: PubMed 11994814Boninger ML, Souza AL, Cooper RA, Fitzgerald SG, Koontz AM, Fay BT. Propulsion patterns and pushrim biomechanics in manual wheelchair propulsion. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2002 May;83(5):718-23. doi: 10.1053/apmr.2002.32455.
- Background: PubMed 26674751Morgan KA, Tucker SM, Klaesner JW, Engsberg JR. A motor learning approach to training wheelchair propulsion biomechanics for new manual wheelchair users: A pilot study. J Spinal Cord Med. 2017 May;40(3):304-315. doi: 10.1080/10790268.2015.1120408. Epub 2015 Dec 16.
- BackgroundWill, K., Engsberg, J. R., Foreman, M., Klaesner, J., Birkenmeier, R., & Morgan, K. A. (2015). Repetition based training for efficient propulsion in new manual wheelchair users. Journal of Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation & Disabilities, 1(001), 1-9.
- Background: PubMed 26138222Morgan KA, Engsberg JR, Gray DB. Important wheelchair skills for new manual wheelchair users: health care professional and wheelchair user perspectives. Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol. 2017 Jan;12(1):28-38. doi: 10.3109/17483107.2015.1063015. Epub 2015 Jul 3.
- Background: PubMed 16869091Paralyzed Veterans of America Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine. Preservation of upper limb function following spinal cord injury: a clinical practice guideline for health-care professionals. J Spinal Cord Med. 2005;28(5):434-70. doi: 10.1080/10790268.2005.11753844. No abstract available.
- Background: PubMed 25299526Sawatzky B, DiGiovine C, Berner T, Roesler T, Katte L. The need for updated clinical practice guidelines for preservation of upper extremities in manual wheelchair users: a position paper. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2015 Apr;94(4):313-24. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000000203.
- Background: PubMed 23499781Askari S, Kirby RL, Parker K, Thompson K, O'Neill J. Wheelchair propulsion test: development and measurement properties of a new test for manual wheelchair users. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2013 Sep;94(9):1690-8. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2013.03.002. Epub 2013 Mar 14.
- Background: PubMed 14970966MacPhee AH, Kirby RL, Coolen AL, Smith C, MacLeod DA, Dupuis DJ. Wheelchair skills training program: A randomized clinical trial of wheelchair users undergoing initial rehabilitation. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2004 Jan;85(1):41-50. doi: 10.1016/s0003-9993(03)00364-2.
- BackgroundAxelson, P., Chesney, D. Y., Minkel, J., & Perr, A. (1996). The manual wheelchair training guide. Santa Cruz, CA: Pax Press,1996.
- Background: PubMed 15129405Kirby RL, Dupuis DJ, Macphee AH, Coolen AL, Smith C, Best KL, Newton AM, Mountain AD, Macleod DA, Bonaparte JP. The wheelchair skills test (version 2.4): measurement properties. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2004 May;85(5):794-804. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2003.07.007.
- Background: PubMed 23022092Rice IM, Pohlig RT, Gallagher JD, Boninger ML. Handrim wheelchair propulsion training effect on overground propulsion using biomechanical real-time visual feedback. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2013 Feb;94(2):256-63. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2012.09.014. Epub 2012 Sep 26.
- Background: PubMed 19253097DeGroot KK, Hollingsworth HH, Morgan KA, Morris CL, Gray DB. The influence of verbal training and visual feedback on manual wheelchair propulsion. Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol. 2009 Mar;4(2):86-94. doi: 10.1080/17483100802613685.
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Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy
Active, not recruitingObservational study
Nerve Transfer Surgery to Restore Upper-limb Function After Cervical Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal Cord Injury, Spinal Cord Injury at C5-C7 Level
Recruiting
Implementing a Decision Support Tool to Prevent Community-Acquired Pressure Injury in Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) in the Spinal Cord Injury Clinic
Spinal Cord Injury, Pressure Injury
Recruiting
Feasibility of the BrainGate2 Neural Interface System in Persons With Tetraplegia (BG-Tablet-01)
Brainstem Stroke, ALS
Recruiting
A Neuroprosthesis for Seated Posture and Balance
Spinal Cord Injury, Paralysis
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Kerri Morgan, PhD principal investigator
Washington University School of Medicine
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing In-person wheelchair propulsion training program and 30-minute education session in people with Spinal Cord Injuries and Multiple Sclerosis, run by Washington University School of Medicine at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 10 inclusion and 10 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 28 Mar 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Motion capture - changes in push angle (time frame: Baseline, 3-week after baseline for the control group/immediate after training group intervention, 3-weeks after second assessment). The study lists 6 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04009187, which also lists 14 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 28 Mar 2025.