Preliminary Trial to Develop a Measurement Method for Shear Force Characteristics of Wheelchair Seat Cushions

Abstract

  In wheelchair cushions, shear forces occurring on the seat surface have gained attention from the perspective of pressure ulcer prevention. However, there is no standardized test method for cushion characteristics related to these forces. Meanwhile, a test method should ideally be highly feasible and low-cost. Therefore, we conceived and trialed an easily implementable test method using a wheelchair test dummy with its lower legs and feet removed, and identified potential issues through this trial. Results showed that the dummy may tilt when the torso is present, the size of sensors could potentially affect measurements for air cell type cushions as they may sink between cells, and the evaluation of shear force characteristics requires careful consideration of temporal changes. These findings provided valuable insights for the future development of measurement techniques.