OT professor conducts new research on fall risk among wheelchair users
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A new study in Disability and Rehabilitation investigates fear of falling and fall-related injuries among wheelchair and motorized scooter users. The research was conducted by OT clinical professor Elizabeth Peterson, along with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professor Laura Rice and graduate student Sahel Moein.
Though plenty of research focuses on falls among ambulatory people with conditions like multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease, studies to address incidents among those who rely on mobility devices are rare.
The research team reexamined a survey of 156 full-time wheelchair or scooter users. Ninety-six percent of the participants reported having fallen at least once in the previous 12 months. Of those, 74% had suffered a fall-related injury, and 94.6% were afraid of falling again. Those who experienced fall-related injuries reported higher levels of anxiety and less frequent use of their mobility devices than their peers.
“We were not especially surprised, because walking short distances is essential to daily function for many wheelchair and scooter users,” Peterson said.
The findings point to several needed interventions. Because a history of falling is associated with a higher risk of future falls, health care providers should gauge an individual’s chances of falling and offer safety training. The team is testing a program they designed for occupational or physical therapists to help wheelchair users address potential risks.
“Participants engage in exercise, practice transfer and other wheelchair skills, and create plans to manage falls when they happen,” Peterson said.
The researchers hope to raise awareness among caregivers of fall risk for this population.
“Health care providers sometimes think that giving someone a wheelchair will solve their problem of falling,” said Rice. “But people need to be trained to use the equipment and cope with the challenges that come with these devices.”
This article has been edited for length and clarity by Emily Parenti-Lopez.