Effect of seat height on the propulsion effectiveness and the glenohumeral joint load in handrim wheelchair propulsion

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of force application and the load on the glenohumeral joint during handrim wheelchair propulsion at two different seat heights. In a research laboratory able-bodied male subjects propelled a wheelchair fitted with a SmartWheel on a treadmill at 3 different speeds, while power output was kept constant at 25 W by a pulley system. There was no effect of seat height on the propulsion effectiveness and the glenohumeral joint load under the current experimental conditions.