Glenohumeral Contact Forces and Muscle Forces Evaluated in Wheelchair-Related Activities of Daily Living in Able-Bodied Subjects Versus Subjects With Paraplegia and Tetraplegia

Abstract van Drongelen S, van der Woude LH, Janssen TW, Angenot EL, Chadwick EK, Veeger DH. Glenohumeral contact forces and muscle forces evaluated in wheelchair-related activities of daily living in able-bodied subjects versus subjects with paraplegia and tetraplegia. Objective To estimate the differences in glenohumeral contact forces and shoulder muscle forces between able-bodied subjects and subjects with paraplegia and tetraplegia during wheelchair-related activities of daily living (ADLs). Design Kinematics and external forces were measured during wheelchair ADLs (level propulsion, weight-relief lifting, reaching) and processed by using an inverse dynamics 3-dimensional biomechanical model. Setting Biomechanics laboratory. Participants Five able-bodied subjects, 8 subjects with paraplegia, and 4 subjects with tetraplegia (N=17). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Glenohumeral contact forces and shoulder muscle forces. Results Peak contact forces were significantly higher for weight-relief lifting compared with reaching and level propulsion ( P P =.022). Conclusions Glenohumeral contact forces were significantly higher for weight-relief lifting and highest over the 3 tasks for the tetraplegia group. Without taking paralysis into account, more muscle force was estimated for the subjects with tetraplegia during weight-relief lifting.