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Study of Multi-speed Ergonomic Wheelchairs for Spinal Cord Conditions

This study is looking at a new type of wheelchair called the Single Speed Ergonomic Wheelchair and a Multi-Speed Ergonomic Wheelchair. These wheelchairs have hand rims placed in front and use a chain drive system, similar to a bicycle, to help you move more efficiently. The goal is to see if different gear ratios can make it easier to push your wheelchair, especially if you have a spinal cord disease or injury. Researchers want to understand if these new designs can help reduce shoulder pain, which is common for manual wheelchair users. The study will measure how well participants can push the wheelchair over 20 meters with different gear settings. We are looking for about 30 participants who use a manual wheelchair daily, are 18 or older, and meet other specific health criteria. The current status of this study is unclear.

Study design
This interventional study plans to enroll 30 participants. It will compare different gear ratios on an ergonomic wheelchair.
What's involved
Participants will use the ergonomic wheelchair to test three different gear ratios. The primary measurements will be taken up to 4 weeks after enrollment.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Participants will be assessed for up to 4 weeks after enrollment for the primary endpoints.

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NCT05776030

Multi-speed Ergonomic Wheelchair

Recruiting
NAAges 18+InterventionalBasic science
VA Office of Research and Development
~30 participants
Updated 2026-04-20 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Single Speed Ergonomic WheelchairMulti-Speed Ergonomic Wheelchair

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
20 Meter Push Test - level surface, Gear Ratio 1:1
Measured over up to 4 weeks after enrollment
+28 more outcomes measured

Conditions

Spinal Cord Diseases
Spinal Cord Injuries

Explore related trials

Spinal Cord DisorderSpinal Cord Injury

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states
Minnesota1

Study leadership

  • John M Looft, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN

Who to contact

John M Looft, PhD
[email protected]
(612) 725-2001
Email the study team

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Uses manual wheelchair daily
Mass less than 125 kg
Age 18 or older
Decisional competency to provide consent and cognitive ability to participate fully in study procedures
Body size appropriate to fit the wheelchairs (16" and 18" seat widths)

Exclusion

Sitting surface pressure injuries
Flap procedure to address pressure injury less than one year earlier
Unable to obtain clinically acceptable seating system for study wheelchairs
Not able to propel a manual wheelchair
Upper extremity or spine issues which would make this study unsafe, such as recent surgeries, fractures, tendon tears or nerve impingement (will be assessed by SCI physician - Dr. Byron Eddy)
Medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, or other conditions that would make the study procedures unsafe (will be assessed by SCI physician - Dr. Byron Eddy)

What this trial measures

  • 20 Meter Push Test - level surface, Gear Ratio 1:1up to 4 weeks after enrollment

    Individuals self-propel a wheelchair 20 meters at their chosen pace

  • 20 Meter Push Test - level surface, Gear Ratio 2:3up to 4 weeks after enrollment

    Individuals self-propel a wheelchair 20 meters at their chosen pace

  • 20 Meter Push Test - level surface, Gear Ratio 3:2up to 4 weeks after enrollment

    Individuals self-propel a wheelchair 20 meters at their chosen pace

  • 20 Meter Push Test - uphill, Gear Ratio 1:1up to 4 weeks after enrollment

    Individuals self-propel a wheelchair 20 meters at their chosen pace

  • 20 Meter Push Test - uphill, Gear Ratio 2:3up to 4 weeks after enrollment

    Individuals self-propel a wheelchair 20 meters at their chosen pace

  • 20 Meter Push Test - uphill, Gear Ratio 3:2up to 4 weeks after enrollment

    Individuals self-propel a wheelchair 20 meters at their chosen pace

  • 20 Meter Push Test - Carpet, Gear Ratio 1:1up to 4 weeks after enrollment

    Individuals self-propel a wheelchair 20 meters at their chosen pace

  • 20 Meter Push Test - Carpet, Gear Ratio 2:3up to 4 weeks after enrollment

    Individuals self-propel a wheelchair 20 meters at their chosen pace

  • 20 Meter Push Test - Carpet, Gear Ratio 3:2up to 4 weeks after enrollment

    Individuals self-propel a wheelchair 20 meters at their chosen pace

  • 6 Minute Push Test - Usual Wheelchair, Temporal/Spatialup to 4 weeks after enrollment

    Distance (m) and number of pushes will be collected during this test.

  • 6 Minute Push Test - Gear Ratio 1:1, Temporal/Spatialup to 4 weeks after enrollment

    Distance (m) and number of pushes will be collected during this test.

  • 6 Minute Push Test - Gear Ratio 2:3, Temporal/Spatialup to 4 weeks after enrollment

    Distance (m) and number of pushes will be collected during this test.

  • 6 Minute Push Test - Gear Ratio 3:2, Temporal/Spatialup to 4 weeks after enrollment

    Distance (m) and number of pushes will be collected during this test.

  • 6 Minute Push Test - Usual Wheelchair, Metabolic (kCal/min)up to 4 weeks after enrollment

    Oxygen Uptake (VO2: L/min), Carbon dioxide production (VCO2: L/min), and respiratory quotient (RQ) will all be collected using a COSMED K5 portable metabolic measurement system These measures are used for calculating kCal/min = (\[1.1 \* RQ\] + 3.9) \* VO2

  • 6 Minute Push Test - Gear Ratio 1:1, Metabolic (kCal/min)up to 4 weeks after enrollment

    Oxygen Uptake (VO2: L/min), Carbon dioxide production (VCO2: L/min), and respiratory quotient (RQ) will all be collected using a COSMED K5 portable metabolic measurement system These measures are used for calculating kCal/min = (\[1.1 \* RQ\] + 3.9) \* VO2

  • 6 Minute Push Test - Gear Ratio 2:3, Metabolic (kCal/min)up to 4 weeks after enrollment

    Oxygen Uptake (VO2: L/min), Carbon dioxide production (VCO2: L/min), and respiratory quotient (RQ) will all be collected using a COSMED K5 portable metabolic measurement system These measures are used for calculating kCal/min = (\[1.1 \* RQ\] + 3.9) \* VO2

  • 6 Minute Push Test - Gear Ratio 3:2, Metabolic (kCal/min)up to 4 weeks after enrollment

    Oxygen Uptake (VO2: L/min), Carbon dioxide production (VCO2: L/min), and respiratory quotient (RQ) will all be collected using a COSMED K5 portable metabolic measurement system These measures are used for calculating kCal/min = (\[1.1 \* RQ\] + 3.9) \* VO2

  • Wheelchair Skills Test Version 5.2 - Usual Wheelchairup to 4 weeks after enrollment

    The WST is used for objective evaluation of manual wheelchair skills. It includes 32 skills that are rates advanced pass/highly proficient (3 points), pass (2 points), pass with difficulty (1 point), or fail (0 points). The WST covers a wide variety of skills that manual wheelchair users experience in everyday life including inclines, side slopes, soft surface, thresholds, gaps, curbs, obstacle avoidance, and wheelies.

  • Wheelchair Skills Test Version 5.2 - Multispeed Wheelchairup to 4 weeks after enrollment

    The WST is used for objective evaluation of manual wheelchair skills. It includes 32 skills that are rates advanced pass/highly proficient (3 points), pass (2 points), pass with difficulty (1 point), or fail (0 points). The WST covers a wide variety of skills that manual wheelchair users experience in everyday life including inclines, side slopes, soft surface, thresholds, gaps, curbs, obstacle avoidance, and wheelies.

  • 600 Meter Course - Usual Wheelchair, Timed (seconds)up to 4 weeks after enrollment

    The distance of 600 meters is used clinically to assess community ambulation ability and can be used to determine if a power wheelchair is needed. The 600 meter course will include several turns, carpeting, and starting/stopping the wheelchair. Participants will be instructed to complete the course at a comfortable pace and will be timed (s).

  • 600 Meter Course - Multispeed Wheelchair, Timed (seconds)up to 4 weeks after enrollment

    The distance of 600 meters is used clinically to assess community ambulation ability and can be used to determine if a power wheelchair is needed. The 600 meter course will include several turns, carpeting, and starting/stopping the wheelchair. Participants will be instructed to complete the course at a comfortable pace and will be timed (s).

  • 600 Meter Course - Usual Wheelchair, Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE)up to 4 weeks after enrollment

    The distance of 600 meters is used clinically to assess community ambulation ability and can be used to determine if a power wheelchair is needed. The 600 meter course will include several turns, carpeting, and starting/stopping the wheelchair. Participants will be instructed to complete the course at a comfortable pace and RPE will be asked at the end of the course.

  • 600 Meter Course - Multispeed Wheelchair, Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE)up to 4 weeks after enrollment

    The distance of 600 meters is used clinically to assess community ambulation ability and can be used to determine if a power wheelchair is needed. The 600 meter course will include several turns, carpeting, and starting/stopping the wheelchair. Participants will be instructed to complete the course at a comfortable pace and RPE will be asked at the end of the course.

  • Mobility-Related ADL - Usual Wheelchair, Timed (seconds)up to 4 weeks after enrollment

    This is a standardized, timed circuit of simulated mobility-related ADL tasks to simulate a morning ADL routine.

  • Mobility-Related ADL - Multispeed Wheelchair, Timed (seconds)up to 4 weeks after enrollment

    This is a standardized, timed circuit of simulated mobility-related ADL tasks to simulate a morning ADL routine.

  • Mobility-Related ADL - Usual Wheelchair, Independencyup to 4 weeks after enrollment

    This is a standardized, timed circuit of simulated mobility-related ADL tasks to simulate a morning ADL routine. All ICF activity-based measures of function in a wheelchair. Independence for tasks will be scored using the Function Everyday with a Wheelchair Capacity scoring from 0 (dependent) to 3 (independent).

  • Mobility-Related ADL - Multispeed Wheelchair, Independencyup to 4 weeks after enrollment

    This is a standardized, timed circuit of simulated mobility-related ADL tasks to simulate a morning ADL routine. All ICF activity-based measures of function in a wheelchair. Independence for tasks will be scored using the Function Everyday with a Wheelchair Capacity scoring from 0 (dependent) to 3 (independent).

  • QUEST 2.0 - Usual Wheelchairup to 4 weeks after enrollment

    The QUEST evaluates how satisfied one is with an assistive device.

  • QUEST 2.0 - Multispeed Wheelchairup to 4 weeks after enrollment

    The QUEST evaluates how satisfied one is with an assistive device.