Effectiveness of a wheelchair skills training in disabled persons with traumatic spinal cord injury

Authors:

Khokhlova Olga Ivanovna, PhD, leading researcher, Novokuznetsk Scientific and Practical Centre for Medical and Social Expertise and Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons, 7 Malaya Street, 654055, Novokuznetsk, Kemerovo Region, Russian Federation; e-mail: hohlovaoliv@rambler.ru

Vasilchenko Elena Mikhaylovna, PhD, Director General, Novokuznetsk Scientific and Practical Centre for Medical and Social Expertise and Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons, 7 Malaya Street, 654055, Novokuznetsk, Kemerovo Region, Russian Federation; e-mail: root@reabil-nk.ru

Lyakhovetskaya Vera Vitalyevna, Head of the Department of Medical and Social Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy and Remedial Gymnastics, Novokuznetsk Scientific and Practical Centre for Medical and Social Expertise and Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons, 7 Malaya Street, 654055, Novokuznetsk, Kemerovo Region, Russian Federation; e-mail: root@reabil-nk.ru

Annotation:

Introduction. Wheelchair skills training is a necessary condition for improving the mobility and independence of people with traumatic spinal cord injury. However, there are currently no standardized learning technologies in the Russian Federation.

Aim. To evaluate the effectiveness of the Wheelchair Skills Program (WSP, Canada) in improving wheelchair skills in disabled persons with traumatic spinal cord injury.

Materials and methods. The study involved 601 patients with traumatic spinal cord injury from the clinic of the Novokuznetsk Scientific and Practical Centre for Medical and Social Expertise and Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons (468 men – 77.9 %, 133 women – 22.1 %). To evaluate the effectiveness of the Wheelchair Skills Training Program (WSTP), the Wheelchair Skills Test (WST) results for the ability and safety of wheelchair use were compared in dynamics: at the beginning of the training course and at the end of it (n = 371), as well as during repeated admissions of patients for rehabilitation. During the second hospitalization, 299 patients with traumatic spinal cord injury were tested, 154 of them were trained; during the third, 180 and 81, respectively.

Results and discussion. Individual training in wheelchair skills using the Wheelchair Skills Training Program allowed disabled persons with traumatic spinal cord injury to increase their ability to perform skills by an average of 12.5 % (p<0.001) with an increase in the proportion of users with medium and high levels of ability. Additional training was required for 51.5 % of the patients admitted for the second rehabilitation. Findings showed a positive effect of the Wheelchair Skills Training Program, which is generally consistent with the literature data.

Conclusion. Thanks to an individual approach, the Wheelchair Skills Program (Canada) allows to both learn how to use a wheelchair and improve the level of skills for safe use of a wheelchair. Most people with disabilities need at least two courses of training to consolidate their skills.

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