Use of an upright power wheelchair in spinal cord injury: a case series.
Eunkyoung Hong, Michael Elliott, Stephen Kornfeld and 1 others
PMID 38510946WHAT IT FOUND
Four people with spinal cord injuries used a standing wheelchair for 12 weeks.
It was safe and users felt stable and comfortable standing, but transferring was difficult. Bowel, bladder, and pain outcomes varied widely between individuals, with no consistent improvement.
Key findings
01All four participants tolerated the standing position with no serious adverse events, though two experienced temporary blood pressure drops requiring a return to sitting.
02Participants reported high satisfaction with stability and pressure relief while standing, but found transferring in and out of the device difficult and time-consuming.
03Quality of life outcomes for bowel, bladder, and pain were inconsistent; one participant improved in all three areas, while another worsened in bowel management.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study included only four participants, so results are not generalizable. There was no control group, making it impossible to determine if outcomes were due to the wheelchair or other factors. Three additional participants dropped out due to the pandemic, leaving a small sample. Patient-reported outcomes for bowel, bladder, and pain were highly variable between individuals. The study was conducted in a supervised clinical setting, not at home, which may affect real-world usability.
Declared interests
The study was funded by an unrestricted investigator-initiated grant from UPnRIDE Inc., the manufacturer of the wheelchair being tested, and the National Center for the Medical Consequences of SCI at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this device improves bowel, bladder, or pain outcomes. In this small group, results varied widely, with some participants reporting worsening symptoms, and the study was not designed to prove efficacy for these conditions.