Joint Trajectory and Fatigue Analysis in Wheelchair Users

A successful rehabilitation process always requires both medical and infrastructural support. In this paper we focus on paraplegic wheelchair users, aiming at understanding the correlation between accuracy in guidance and muscular fatigue, while moving on a known training path. In particular, we study the trajectories performed and the corresponding shoulder forces distribution, while changing the inclination of the seat. At the motor level, the point of interest is the shoulder, as, in the prolonged use of wheelchairs with manual self-propulsion, it is generally source of pain. The objective is to demonstrate that there is a potential relationship between trajectory discontinuities and shoulder pain, and foster the development of best practices aimed at preventing the raise of shoulder-related pathologies, by correcting the user's movements and the wheelchair setup. This project is meant to be a first study of the subject, so far little addressed, and is not meant to be a clinical study. The experiments have been conducted within the premises of the Living Lab AUSILIA and validated with the help of experienced medical personnel.