The Attentional Demands of Wheelchair Operation

Abstract

To determine how motor control patterns in wheelchair propulsion mediate attentional demands. Fourteen participants completed two single- and dual-task trials of Serial-7 Subtraction and four, 30-second motor tasks: Static Sitting, Short Leans, Maximal Leans, and Stationary Propulsion. Differences in cognitive and motor function were determined through paired samples t-tests and percent changes (dual-task costs [DTCs]) were calculated. Within-subjects, repeated-measures ANOVAs determined differences in DTCs across motor tasks. Cognitive function was maintained from the single- to dual-task trials across tasks (DTC ≤ 13%; p = 0.12-0.74). Motor function was uniquely maintained during Maximal Leans (DTC ≤ 0.5%; p = 0.12-0.93), which yielded significantly lower dual-task cognitive function than the others (p < 0.01). Seated balance may be the primary contributor to the attentional demands of wheelchair propulsion.

Keywords: attentional demands; cognitive-motor interaction; dual-task; wheelchair propulsion.