ABSTRACT

Objective: This study investigated the effects of wheelchair skills training on the wheelchair skill test (WST) score, wheelchair propulsion velocity (WPV), and activities of daily living in patients after an acute stroke. Methods: Eighteen inpatients were randomly allocated to either the experimental group, who underwent wheelchair skills training, or the control group, who underwent static standing training (n = 8 each). Each intervention comprised 30-min daily sessions, three times a week, for three weeks. To measure the wheelchair skills ability, WPV, and performance capacity in activities of daily living, the WST, WPV, and Korean modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) were implemented before and after the intervention. Results: After the intervention, both groups exhibited significant increases in the WST score, WPV, and K-MBI score (p < .05). Upon comparing the change in values, the experimental group showed a greater increase in the WST score and WPV (p < .05). Conclusion: Wheelchair technology training is effective in improving wheelchair skills and wheelchair propulsion speeds in patients who are unable to move independently after an acute stroke. Therefore, wheelchair skills training programs may be administered as an early intervention to provide safe and effective locomotion capabilities for patients after a stroke who cannot move independently.