There are about 67 million wheelchair users around the world. Many suffer from shoulder injuries due to over-use of the structures of the upper extremities during wheelchair propulsion and transfers.
To address the issues that wheelchair users face, we are employing robotics and virtual reality.
Currently, Zohreh Salimi, a PhD Candidate in our lab is developing an immersive virtual reality environment task for wheelchair users and tests its reliability and validity in reproducing real life wheelchair propulsion.
VIDEO: Zohreh’s Illinois Agility Test
Recent Publications
Qi, L., J. Wakeling, S. Grange, M. Ferguson-Pell (2014) Patterns of Shoulder Muscle Coordination Vary Between Wheelchair propulsion techniques. Transactions on Neural Systems & Rehabilitation Engineering IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 22(3), 1-8. Doi: 10.1109/TNSRE.2013.2266136
Qi L, Wakeling J, Grange S, Ferguson-Pell M (2013) Coordination patterns of shoulder muscles during level-ground and incline wheelchair propulsion. J Rehabil Res Dev 50: 651-662. Doi: 10.1682/jrrd.2012.06.0109
Qi, L., Wakeling, J., Grange, S., & M. Ferguson-Pell, (2012). Changes in surface electromyography signals and kinetics associated with progression of fatigue at two speeds during wheelchair propulsion. J Rehabil Res Dev, 49(1), 23-34.
Qi, L., Wakeling, J., Grange, S., & M. Ferguson-Pell,. (2012). Effect of velocity on shoulder muscle recruitment patterns during wheelchair propulsion in nondisabled individuals: pilot study. J Rehabil Res Dev, 49(10), 1527-1536.