Predisposition Level of a Newly Developed Portable and Foldable Wheelchair Treadmill (PARAFiTGo) among Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in significant limitations in physical  activity due to mobility deficits, muscle weakness, and environmental barriers. PARAFiTGo, a newly  developed portable and foldable wheelchair treadmill, was designed to address these challenges by  enabling home- and community-based aerobic exercise for wheelchair users. However, user  predisposition towards the device has not been previously assessed. This study aimed to determine  the predisposition level of PARAFiTGo among individuals with SCI and to characterise the wheelchair  anthropometric profile of potential users. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted between April and June 2024 involving 10  community-dwelling adults with SCI recruited through the Malaysian Advocation of Spinal Cord Injury  Association (MASAA). Participants underwent a 10-minute supervised PARAFiTGo trial, after which  predisposition was assessed using the validated Malay version of the Assistive Technology Device  Predisposition Assessment (ATD-PA). Wheelchair anthropometric measurements (seat width, back  wheel radius, wheelbase length, and overall width) were also obtained. Data were analysed using  descriptive statistics. Results: Participants had a mean age of 32.8 ± 5.5 years; 70% were male and 90% had paraplegia.  ATD-PA scores indicated high predisposition, with Quality of Life scoring 53.0 ± 5.4 (range 12–60) and  Device Form scoring 45.3 ± 3.6 (range 0–60). Functional Abilities and Personal Characteristics yielded  moderate scores of 37.2 ± 6.5 and 21.5 ± 4.6, respectively. Wheelchair anthropometrics showed narrow  variability in seat width (39.6 ± 2.0 cm) and back wheel radius (29.3 ± 2.0 cm), with greater variability  in wheelbase length (45.7 ± 5.4 cm) and overall width (52.1 ± 4.3 cm). Conclusion: PARAFiTGo demonstrated a generally high predisposition level among individuals with  SCI, particularly in quality of life and device usability domains. Variability in wheelchair dimensions  highlights the need for design adaptations to accommodate a wider range of users. Limitations include  the small sample size and brief trial duration. Future clinical trials with extended follow-up, pre-post  ATD-PA assessments, and larger diverse samples are recommended to confirm these preliminary  findings.