Design of an adjustable wheelchair for table tennis participation.
Jonathan Duvall, Benjamin Gebrosky, Jeffrey Ruffing and 4 others
PMID 32951495WHAT IT FOUND
A table tennis wheelchair prototype met its design goals: adjustable height and tilt, lockable casters, and an athlete used it in competition.
This is a feasibility report for that model user, not evidence that it improves performance or participation.
Key findings
01A participatory design approach used an experienced para table tennis athlete as a model client to identify functions and three primary design characteristics.
02The physical prototype met all design criteria, with reported height, tilt, fore-aft, caster lock, footrest, backrest, and weight specifications.
03The model client used the prototype in competition and reported satisfaction with its performance.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
The work used an experienced para table tennis athlete as a model client, so it cannot show how the chair performs for other athletes. It reports design criteria and a satisfaction report, not a comparison with a day-to-day wheelchair or measured sport performance. The authors note unresolved design issues, including gaps between tie-rods and clamps and difficulty reaching the caster lock. It does not report injury risk, participation outcomes, or rehabilitation outcomes.
Declared interests
The authors reported no conflicts of interest. The supplied publication types note research support from non-U.S. and U.S. government sources.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that this chair improves table tennis performance, participation, or safety. The paper reports a prototype built around an experienced model athlete, design criteria being met, and that athlete's satisfaction in competition, without a comparison group or measured performance outcomes.