Lakyn Graves, “The Validity of Using Marker-Based Techniques for Calculating the 6-Minute Push Test Distance”
Mentor: Brooke Salvens, Mechanical Engineering
Poster #77
Globally, there are an estimated 80 million individuals who require a wheelchair for their mobility. In attempts to elevate the standard of living for these individuals, there is an abundance of ongoing research regarding the biomechanics and overall well-being of wheelchair users. In such studies, the 6-Minute Push Test (6MPT), which tasks subjects to propel their manual wheelchair as far as possible in 6 minutes, is the most common assessment for gauging both fitness and function. In most research settings, wheelchair users perform this test on roller systems, which are a wheelchair user’s analog to a treadmill. There are multiple methods of obtaining the linear distance traveled on the roller system, including motion capture technology and specialized sensors called cycle computers. Producing accurate results from this test is crucial for researchers and clinicians to make appropriate conclusions about a participant’s overall function. The current study compared the two evaluation methods previously mentioned by conducting a Wilcoxon signed-rank test on data collected from 9 manual wheelchair users who had performed the 6MPT with both motion capture and cycle computer systems employed. It was determined that the mean distances produced from motion capture (253.64±137.84 meters) and cycle computer systems (268.04±148.71 meters) were not significantly different (p= 0.098), and thus, either method can reliably compute the distance covered by a wheelchair user in the 6MPT. Motion capture systems are generally used to collect other biomechanical data in research settings, therefore continuing its use for the 6MPT is not only convenient but also valid for accurate data.