Toro Hernandez, Maria Luisa
(2011)
THE IMPACT OF TRANSFER SETUP ON THE PERFORMANCE OF INDEPENDENT TRANSFERS.
Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
For individuals who rely on wheeled mobility devices (WMD), performing transfers is essential to independence with activities of daily living at home and participation in the community. Transfers are required for getting to and from the device to bed, bath tub, car seat, among others. The United States Access Board develops guidelines and maintains design criteria for the built environment to maximize accessibility to public places. The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of transfer setup on performance of independent transfers. The first aim of the study was to perform an expert review of the current knowledge regarding transfers and the impact of setup. Results showed a consensus among studies that transferring to a higher surface implies greater exertion of the upper limb. Yet, there is no evidence concerning height differences, horizontal distance, and space needed next to the target surface so it can be accessible by a majority of WMD users. The second aim was to compare the current guidelines for amusement park rides with the results obtained by evaluating the impact of setup on transfer performance using a custom-built transfer station. We evaluated community-dwelling WMD users who were able to transfer independently and who represented a broad spectrum of disabilities. We evaluated the impact of height differential, gap, placement of a non removable armrest, and the effect of a grab bar. Results showed that height differentials above and below WMD height, gaps and obstacles pose serious transfer-related accessibility problems for WMD users. Current guidelines for amusement park rides fall short in terms of height recommendations and space available for the WMD and could exclude up to 72% of our sample. The third aim was to evaluate the relationship between functional performance (i.e. upper limb strength and trunk control) and transfer ability in people with spinal cord injury. Results found that trunk stability and gender are significant predictors of transfer ability. Rehabilitation plans should include balance training and core strengthening in addition to upper limb conditioning when teaching transfer skills. Improving transfer ability has the potential to increase community participation and independence among WMD users.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
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| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
| Creators | Email | Pitt Username | ORCID  |
|---|
| Toro Hernandez, Maria Luisa | mlt47@pitt.edu | MLT47 | |
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| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
1 September 2011 |
| Date Type: |
Completion |
| Defense Date: |
14 July 2011 |
| Approval Date: |
1 September 2011 |
| Submission Date: |
25 July 2011 |
| Access Restriction: |
5 year -- Restrict access to University of Pittsburgh for a period of 5 years. |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences > Health and Rehabilitation Sciences |
| Degree: |
MS - Master of Science |
| Thesis Type: |
Master's Thesis |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
independent transfers |
| Other ID: |
http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-07252011-114954/, etd-07252011-114954 |
| Date Deposited: |
10 Nov 2011 19:53 |
| Last Modified: |
15 Nov 2016 13:46 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/8598 |
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