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

Publication date: November 2015
Source:Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Volume 96, Issue 11
Author(s): R. Lee Kirby, William C. Miller, Francois Routhier, Louise Demers, Alex Mihailidis, Jan Miller Polgar, Paula W. Rushton, Laura Titus, Cher Smith, Mike McAllister, Chris Theriault, Kara Thompson, Bonita Sawatzky
ObjectivesTo test the hypothesis that powered wheelchair users who receive the Wheelchair Skills Training Program (WSTP) improve their wheelchair skills in comparison with a control group that receives standard care, and secondarily to assess goal achievement, satisfaction with training, retention, injury rate, confidence with wheelchair use, and participation.DesignRandomized controlled trial.SettingRehabilitation centers and communities.ParticipantsPowered wheelchair users (N=116).InterventionFive 30-minute WSTP training sessions.Main Outcome MeasuresAssessments were done at baseline (t1), posttraining (t2), and 3 months posttraining (t3) using the Wheelchair Skills Test Questionnaire (WST-Q version 4.1), Goal Attainment Score (GAS), Satisfaction Questionnaire, injury rate, Wheelchair Use Confidence Scale for Power Wheelchair Users (WheelCon), and Life Space Assessment (LSA).ResultsThere was no significant t2–t1 difference between the groups for WST-Q capacity scores (P=.600), but the difference for WST-Q performance scores was significant (P=.016) with a relative (t2/t1 × 100%) improvement of the median score for the intervention group of 10.8%. The mean GAS ± SD for the intervention group after training was 92.8%±11.4%, and satisfaction with training was high. The WST-Q gain was not retained at t3. There was no clinically significant difference between the groups in injury rate and no statistically significant differences in WheelCon or LSA scores at t3.ConclusionsPowered wheelchair users who receive formal wheelchair skills training demonstrate modest, transient posttraining improvements in their WST-Q performance scores, have substantial improvements on individualized goals, and are positive about training.



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