Modeling Wheelchair-Users Undergoing Vibrations

Make an impact: going full circle together

Sport diversification provides opportunities for individuals to develop physical literacy, establish a growth mindset, become more agile in varied environments, and develop robust strategies to improve performance. One could say the same for biomechanists, who study the control and dynamics of human movements in the context of sport. Through the lens of sport, we have focused on the ongoing interaction between the nervous system, musculoskeletal system, and the environment by using integrated experimental and modelling approaches to study well-practiced, goal-directed tasks in controlled laboratory and realistic field settings. By integrating multiple sources of information in real time to provide timely, relevant, usable, and easy to understand (TRUE) feedback during skill acquisition, we have found these resources also support learning and opportunities for self-discovery of proficiencies by coaches and athletes. Managing multimodal data acquired with emerging technological advances has also benefited from the use of FAIR data management principles, where data are findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable. By listening, clarifying goals, and exploring together with coaches and athletes, we can bridge the gaps between what we know and what we do.

Vibration Transmission during Manual Wheelchair Propulsion: A Systematic Review

Manual wheelchair (MWC) propulsion can expose the user to significant vibration. Human body exposure to certain vibrations can be detrimental to health, and a source of discomfort and fatigue. Therefore, identifying vibration exposure and key parameters influencing vibration transmissibility during MWC propulsion is crucial to protect MWC users from vibration risks. For that purpose, a systematic review using PRISMA recommendations was realized to synthesize the current knowledge regarding vibration transmissibility during MWC propulsion. The 35 retrieved articles were classified into three groups: Vibration content, parameters influencing vibration transmission, and vibration transmission modeling. The review highlighted that MWC users experience vibration in the frequency range detrimental/uncomfortable for human vibration transmission during MWC propulsion depends on many parameters and is still scarcely studied and understood. A modeling and simulation approach would be an interesting way to assist physicians in selecting the best settings for a specific user, but many works (modeling, properties identification, etc.) must be done before being effective for clinical and industrial purposes.