Citation

Fasipe G, Goršič M, Rahman MH, Rammer J. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 2023; 17: e1331395.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Frontiers Research Foundation)

DOI

10.3389/fnhum.2023.1331395

PMID

38249574

PMCID

PMC10796510

Abstract

According to the World Health Organization, hundreds of individuals commence wheelchair use daily, often due to an injury such as spinal cord injury or through a condition such as a stroke. However, manual wheelchair users typically experience reductions in individual community mobility and participation. In this review, articles from 2017 to 2023 were reviewed to identify means of measuring community mobility and participation of manual wheelchair users, factors that can impact these aspects, and current rehabilitation techniques for improving them. The selected articles document current best practices utilizing self-surveys, in-clinic assessments, and remote tracking through GPS and accelerometer data, which rehabilitation specialists can apply to track their patients' community mobility and participation accurately. Furthermore, rehabilitation methods such as wheelchair training programs, brain-computer interface triggered functional electric stimulation therapy, and community-based rehabilitation programs show potential to improve the community mobility and participation of manual wheelchair users. Recommendations were made to highlight potential avenues for future research.

Language: en

Keywords

barriers; brain-computer interface; community mobility; community participation; community-based assessment; GPS tracking; health-related quality of life; wheelchair