Powered wheelchair skills training for persons with stroke: a randomized controlled trial.

Abstract

The aims of this study were to test the hypothesis that people with stroke who receive formal powered wheelchair skills training improve their wheelchair skills to a significantly greater extent than participants in a control group who do not and to explore the influence of spatial neglect. Seventeen participants with stroke (including nine with spatial neglect) were randomly allocated to intervention (n = 9) or control (n = 8) groups. Those in the intervention group received up to five 30-min training sessions based on the Wheelchair Skills Training Program 4.1. The powered Wheelchair Skills Test version 4.1 was administered at baseline (T1) and after training (T2). A rank order analysis of covariance on the T2 Wheelchair Skills Test score, having adjusted for the T1 score, showed a significant effect caused by group (P = 0.0001). A secondary analysis showed no significant effect caused by spatial neglect (P = 0.923). People with stroke who receive formal powered wheelchair skills training improve their powered wheelchair skills to a significantly greater extent (30%) than participants who do not (0%). The extent of change was not affected by the presence of spatial neglect. These findings have significance for the wheelchair provision process and the rehabilitation of people with stroke.