Endurance and Efficiency of Cycling and Manual Wheelchairs in Late-Stage Parkinson's Disease: A Preliminary Study.

OBJECTIVE

In late-stage Parkinson's disease (PD), wheelchair mobility becomes essential, yet little is known about the endurance and efficiency of wheelchairs. For individuals who struggle with manual wheelchair (MW) propulsion, a cycling wheelchair (CW) may provide an alternative. In this study, endurance and efficiency were compared between MWs and CWs during continuous driving, including turning tasks, in late-stage PD.

METHODS

Nine participants with late-stage PD performed the 6-minute push test using both MWs and CWs. Total distance, average speed, and the Physiological Cost Index (PCI) were measured. The PCI was calculated from the pre- and post-driving heart rates.

RESULTS

Compared with the use of MWs, the use of CWs resulted in a significantly greater total distance and a lower PCI, and similar patterns were observed among participants at Hoehn and Yahr stage V (n=6).

CONCLUSION

Compared with MW use, CW use may enable more enduring and efficient mobility in late-stage PD. Further studies are needed to validate these preliminary findings.