Preserving Manual Wheelchair User Shoulder Health
Official Title
Quantifying Musculoskeletal Adaptations to Manual Wheelchair Use Across the Lifespan
Purpose
Manual wheelchair use places high physical demands on the arms and shoulders, which can lead to pain and injury, especially with aging. This study aims to understand how wheelchair use affects shoulder anatomy and movement to improve prevention, early detection, and treatment of upper extremity pain and injury in manual wheelchair users.
Participation includes two in-person research sessions, each lasting about 60 minutes, conducted at the Martha Morehouse Medical Pavilion:
- MRI session to examine shoulder anatomy (no radiation involved)
- Movement analysis session to assess muscle activity and arm function during everyday tasks such as wheelchair propulsion and reaching
Sessions may be completed on the same day or on different days within one week.
Total study participation is approximately 2 hours.
Could this study be right for you?
- Adults (>18 years old) who are primary manual wheelchair users
- Must be able to safely participate in MRI and movement analysis
- Individuals who are pregnant or have MRI-incompatible metal implants are not eligible