Community-based wheelchair caster failures call for improvements in quality and increased frequency of preventative maintenance

Spinal Cord, 2022 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-021-00689-3 · Published: August 19, 2021

Simple Explanation

This study looks at why wheelchair wheels (casters) often break and how this affects users in the community. It checks different wheelchair types and brands to see which ones have more problems. The research shows that wheelchairs needing more support or for users with complex needs tend to have more wheel failures. Also, regular maintenance can help prevent these failures. The findings suggest that better wheel quality and more frequent check-ups are needed to keep users safe and reduce problems with their wheelchairs.

Study Duration

January 2017 until October 2019

Participants

6470 failures and 151 service repairs reported across four manufacturers and ﬁve models

Evidence Level

Secondary data analysis

Key Findings

1
Users of tilt-in-space wheelchairs experienced twice the proportion of high-risk caster failures than the ultralightweight manual wheelchair users.
2
Group 3 and 4 power wheelchair users experienced 15-36% more high-risk failures than Group 2 users.
3
Service repairs negatively correlated with high-risk manual wheelchair caster failures.

Research Summary

This study analyzed wheelchair caster failures and service repairs to determine their frequency across manufacturers and models. The results indicated that failure types were significantly associated with manufacturers and models, with users requiring greater seating support and complex rehabilitation needs experiencing more high-risk failures. The study calls for reforms in product quality and preventative maintenance practices to reduce wheelchair failures and user consequences.

Practical Implications

Improve Caster Quality

Manufacturers should focus on improving the quality of casters, especially for wheelchairs used by individuals with complex needs, to reduce the risk of failures and injuries.

Increase Preventative Maintenance

Regular maintenance and service repairs are crucial to reducing high-risk caster failures, particularly for tilt-in-space wheelchairs. Insurance should incentivize providers for carrying out repairs.

Standardized Testing and Follow-Up

Clinicians, buyers, and insurance stakeholders should seek information on standardized testing of products and product performances before selecting a wheelchair and follow-up regularly to document the reliability of prescribed wheelchairs.

Study Limitations

1
The WRR data lacks data on wheelchair setup, provision, user training, user- or caregiver-led maintenance, user demographic characteristics, technician training, and use conditions that may inﬂuence failure type and frequency.
2
Wheelchairs in use that did not encounter caster failures are not included in WRR and were not a part of the data analysis.
3
However, a 45–63% failure rate within 6-months of wheelchair use found in previous studies [4, 6, 7] can be a suitable reference.

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