A new research study using virtual coaching to teach manual wheelchair skills is seeking participants.
The University of Pittsburgh project, led by Principal Investigator Lynn Worobey, Ph.D., DPT, ATP, will match peer coaches with participants who are at least 18 years old; have a non-progressive spinal cord injury; can speak and read English; reside in the community; use a manual wheelchair for at least 50% of their mobility; have access to an internet-ready device with video capabilities; have access to a spotter who can support them during practice sessions; and want training in at least five of the 16 skills being included in the study.
Participants will attend six peer coaching sessions (once per week) to improve their manual wheelchair skills. They’ll also be given access to a library of wheelchair skills training videos and will be asked to complete questionnaires before and after the training is completed.
Peer coaches will be manual wheelchair users with spinal cord injuries. Coaching sessions will include discussions of goals, challenges and progress gained.
Eligible participants will be compensated “up to $75 for completing peer coaching sessions and up to $125 for completing questionnaires,” the study website said.
The skills included in the study are opening and closing doors; picking up objects from the floor; getting over gaps; getting over thresholds; ascending low curbs; descending low curbs; ascending high curbs; descending high curbs; performing stationary wheelies; ascending a steep incline; descending a steep include; ascending stairs; descending stairs; performing uneven transfers; completing a floor-to-chair transfer; and folding/unfolding a wheelchair.
