Affiliations: [a] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Elbistan State Hospital, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey | [b] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ankara Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Although wheelchair appropriateness has been studied in
general wheelchair users and spinal cord injury patients, it has not been
studied in children with cerebral palsy yet. OBJECTIVE: To describe the wheelchair appropriateness in children
with cerebral palsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty children with cerebral palsy were
included. Demographical and clinical features of the children were noted.
All wheelchair parts were evaluated by the same rehabilitation physician who
has attended a wheelchair-training course. Overall, the wheelchair was
accepted as inappropriate if at least three parts were inappropriate. RESULTS: There were 30 children (15 M, 15 F) with a mean age of
10.8 ± 3.5 years. Seat depth (n= 21, 70%), cushion (n= 17, 56.7%),
seat height (n= 16, 53.3%), and footrest (n= 16, 53.3%) were the most
common inappropriate parts. Overall, 24 (80%) of the children use
inappropriate wheelchair. Two (6.7%) children obtained wheelchairs by
prescription, 28 (93.3%) obtained without prescription. Twenty-nine
wheelchairs were manual and one wheelchair was motorized. Among 30 children,
five (16.7%) experienced at least one wheelchair-related fall. CONCLUSION: In the light of our results, 80% of the children
with cerebral palsy seem to use inappropriate wheelchair. Individually
designed wheelchairs should be maintained for these children.
