Wheelchair ergometer Obtaining objective propulsion data to analyze the interface of user and wheelchair in action to contribute to the advice for adjustments. Active lifestyle A well-adjusted wheelchair can contribute to an active lifestyle, maximal participation in society and avoiding overload. Current status Protocol consisted of 30s sprint, driving at comfortable speed and maintaining given constant speed.
The wheelchair ergometer (Lode Esseda) can be used to monitor propulsion variables of wheelchair users, for example to evaluate wheelchair adaptations. In order to interpret the outcomes of the measurements and to support clinical decision making, it is important to distinguish real changes in propulsion technique and physiological outcomes from measurement errors.
Wheelchair adaptations are mainly based on expert opinion obtained from observation. The Lode Esseda wheelchair ergometer provides objective data and may therefore support clinical decision-making.
Although cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is being recognized as an important marker of health and functioning, it is currently not routinely assessed in daily clinical practice. There is an urgent need for a simple and feasible exercise test that can validly and reliably estimate an individual’s CRF. The Steep Ramp Test (SRT) is such a practical short-time exercise test (work rate increments of 25 W/10 seconds, so the test phase will only take up to 4 minutes) on a cycle ergometer, that does not require expensive equipment or specialized knowledge, and has been found able to validly and reliably estimate an individual’s CRF. Although the SRT is already frequently used in the Netherlands to evaluate CRF, sex- and age-specific reference values for adults and elderly are lacking thus far, which seriously limits the interpretation of test results.
