Wheelchair ambulation: Biomechanics and ergonomic considerations

States and Europe may be extrapolated to, respectively, a rough 2.6 and 3.9 million-on average elderly-people. The majority of these people will use a self-or assistant-propelled manual wheelchair. This chapter will focus on the selfpropelled wheelchair. By nature, the use of the upper-body and arms, a limited (age-related) fi tness, and the impairment itself, a wheelchair-confi ned lifestyle will hamper individual mobility and participation. Simmons et al. [152] conclude their study “Wheelchairs as mobility restraints…“ with: “Improving wheelchair skills with targeted intervention programs, along with making wheelchairs more 'user friendly' … could result in more wheelchair propulsion with resultant improvements in the resident's independence, freedom of movement and quality of life.“.