Abstract
[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to compare the upper-extremity function of healthy adults in wheelchair- and chair-seated postures to verify the effects of wheelchair and chair function on upper-extremity function. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 35 healthy adults. They sat on a wheelchair or chair and performed the Simple Test for Evaluating Hand Function in the two postures. A visual analogue scale was used to assess the subjects’ difficulty in executing the test. [Results] It was found that the subjects exhibited greater upper-extremity function and found it less difficult to execute the test in the chair-seated posture than in the wheelchair-seated posture. [Conclusions] The results suggest that a chair-seated posture allows greater upper-extremity function than a wheelchair-seated posture.
