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

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

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.

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