Development of the Figure-of-8 Wheelchair Propulsion Ability Test: a Pilot Study

Abstract

[Purpose] To examine the absolute reliability and relative reliability of a method for measuring and evaluating the wheelchair propulsion skills of turning, accelerating, and decelerating manual wheelchairs among healthy adults. [Method] Two occupational therapists performed the tests on 36 healthy adults (men: 15; women: 21; mean age: 21.3±0.6 years). In the figure-of-8 type of measured course, each participant propelled a wheelchair with arm propulsion and maximum effort. Examiners measured the time required for participants to propel the established course using a stopwatch. The absolute reliability of the measurement value was examined using the BlandAltman analysis, and the relative reliability was examined using the intraclass correlation coefficient (2.1). [Results] A proportional bias was found as a systematic bias of the measured value; however, no fixed bias was observed. The intraclass correlation coefficient (2.1) of the measured values was 0.999, with 95% confidence interval of 0.999-1.000. [Conclusion] The measurement and evaluation method developed in this study confirmed the error characteristics in the measured values and showed a high inter-tester reliability.