Evaluation of the Wheelchair School (Drivkraft) a Clinical Study
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Wheelchair school, Comparison group, conventional rehabilitation.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Neurological Disorders, Wheelchair Mobility, Rehabilitation. Basic parameters: from 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Sweden
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
Utvärdering av Rullstolsskolan Drivkraft en Klinisk Studie av Ett beprövat Koncept
Overview
This project will evaluate the Wheelchair School with the Drivkraft Methodology in a clinical setting. Participants are adults with chronic neurological diagnoses. For a person requiring a wheelchair, a well-functioning, individually adapted wheelchair and good maneuvering skills are essential for an independent daily life. These factors are also crucial in reducing the risk of secondary complications and pain. The Wheelchair School was founded in the 1990s, is provided by referral and both peer mentors and physiotherapists collaborate. It includes wheelchair prescription and adjustments, individually adapted wheelchair skills training, and theoretical lessons in group during 16 half-day sessions. The overarching aim is to evaluate the intervention Wheelchair school with the Drivkraft method, for wheelchair skills and patient safety for persons with chronic neurological diagnoses in a Swedish context. Also to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Drivkraft Manouevering Test (DWMT) for wheelchair skills.
Detailed description
Evaluation of the Wheelchair School using the Drivkraft Methodology This study focuses on adults with permanent neurological diagnoses (e.g., multiple sclerosis -MS, spinal cord injury) who continuously use a wheelchair. Education in a group setting with peer mentors who have personal experience of using a wheelchair, alongside interaction with other participants in similar situations, can be highly beneficial. The training program includes individual wheelchair prescription and or adjustments, wheelchair technique instruction, theoretical lessons, and group training. The program consists of 16 half-day sessions with peer mentors and physiotherapists in a clinical setting.
Research questions:
Do the participants improve in the following aspects directly after, and two months after the intervention: Wheelchair skills (WST and DWMT), satisfaction during everyday activities (Wheelchair Outcome Measure \[WhoM\]), confidence during everyday activities (Wheelchair confidence measure \[WCM\]), shoulder pain (wheelchair user shoulder pain index \[WUSPI\],fear and concerns about falling (Falls Concern Scale\[FCS\]), and number of falls and fall-related injuries? Is improvement of wheelchair skills associated with higher satisfaction and confidence, as well as decreased concerns about falling during daily activities? Does DWMT have sound psychometric properties, validity and sensitivity to change compared to WST? Method Design: A prospective intervention study with a comparison group. Participants: Adults with permanent neurological diagnoses referred to the Wheelchair School at Aleris Rehab Station, Stockholm, Sweden. The active comparison group comprises individuals with similar diagnoses in the same age range participating in other programs of similar length and intensity at the same unit.
Procedure: All participants undergo a physiotherapy assessment, assessment of the wheelchair including settings and manouvering skills (DWMT, WST). Also, the participants answer patient reported outcome measures (WCM, WhOM, FCS), before, directly after the rehabilitation, and after two months. The active comparison group are assessed at the same time points with the same outcome measures. The program consists of 15 half-day training sessions, and a follow-up. Psychometric properties and validity of the DWMT will be assessed
Interventions
- Other Wheelchair school
Wheelchair skills training with pysiotherapist and peer mentor - Other Comparison group, conventional rehabilitation
Conventional rehabilitation at the same unit of similiar length and intensity
Primary outcome measures
- Drivkraft manouevering test [Time frame: baseline, post intervention and at 2 months follow-up]
Secondary outcome measures (3)
- Wheelchair outcome measure (WhOM) [Time frame: baseline, post intervention and at 2 months follow-up]
- Wheelchair Skills Test (WST) [Time frame: baseline, post intervention and at 2 months follow-up]
- Spinal Cord Injury Falls Concern Scale (SCI-FCS) [Time frame: baseline, post intervention and at 2 months follow-up]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Participant in the Drivkraft Wheelchair school at Aleris Rehab Station
- Adult with neurological diagnosis using manual wheelchair
Exclusion criteria
- Persons with Parkinsons Disease
- Persons with too limited Swedish language skills to fill in study forms or make a signed consent
- Persons with cognitive impairments affecting their ability to fill in study forms or make a signed consent
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Non-randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
Sweden · 1 center
- Aleris Rehab Station — Solna
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07131553 · Dnr 2023-06358-01