Body landmarks identify spinal alignment of person seated in wheelchair

Main Category: Multiple Sclerosis
Article Date: 20 Nov 2005 - 11:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

The spinal alignment of a wheelchair-seated person using front-body landmarks is identified in this study. Ten volunteers without spinal problems assumed 16 sitting positions while the thoracic and lumbar spines were examined.

Data indicated that the chest and stomach lines can be used as indices for the two-dimensional alignment of the thoracic and lumbar spines when evaluating postures in a wheelchair or on a mat.

Sitting posture, an important factor in special seating, may influence the development of pressure sores, as well as the comfort, function, practice, mobility, and cosmetic features of the spine.

Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development - pg 437

About the Journal

JRRD has been a leading research journal in the field of rehabilitation medicine and technology for more than 40 years. JRRD, a peer-reviewed, scientifically indexed journal, publishes original research papers, review articles, as well as clinical and technical commentary from U.S. and international researchers on all rehabilitation research disciplines. JRRD's mission is to responsibly evaluate and disseminate scientific research findings impacting the rehabilitative healthcare community. For more information about JRRD, visit http://www.vard.org.

Judith LaVoie
judith@vard.org
VA Research Communications Service
http://www.vard.org

• Additional
• References
• Citations