Learning to perform wheelchair wheelies: comparison of 2 training strategies1  James P Bonaparte, MSc, R.Lee Kirby, MD, Donald A MacLeod, MSc  Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation  Volume 85, Issue 5, Pages 785-793 (May 2004) DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2003.06.025

Fig 1 Examples of the 2 types of wheelie balance patterns as illustrated by AP displacement of the COP data (y axis). An increase (+) in displacement corresponds to a forward movement of the wheelchair while a decrease (-) in displacement corresponds to a backward movement. Zero (0) on the displacement axis corresponds with the center location of the forceplate. Horizontal (x) axis represents the time in seconds (20s in each figure). The take-off and landing phase data have been removed. (A) PBS. Note the rhythmic forward-backward movements and the gradual forward drift. (B) RBS. Note, at about 10 seconds, the wheelchair is rolled abruptly backward in response to a backward pitch, an overshoot followed by an abrupt forward movement to reachieve equilibrium. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2004 85, 785-793DOI: (10.1016/j.apmr.2003.06.025)

Fig 2 Total training time required by participants to pass the wheelie competence test. Mean +1 SD values are shown. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2004 85, 785-793DOI: (10.1016/j.apmr.2003.06.025)

Fig 3 Relationship between age and training time. The circles and triangles, respectively, represent participants trained using the RBS and PBS, respectively. The open and solid symbols represent able-bodied participants and wheelchair users, respectively. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2004 85, 785-793DOI: (10.1016/j.apmr.2003.06.025)

Fig 4 Examples of the 3 wheelie take-off patterns used to lift the front casters off the ground. An increase (+) in the AP COP displacement on the force platform (y axis) represents a forward movement of the wheelchair, while a decrease (-) represents a backward displacement. The end of the take-off phase, in each case (4), represents the moment when the participant completed the take-off phase and began the balance phase. (A) Initial forward displacement (1–2), followed by a backward displacement (2–3), and then forward displacement (3–4). (B) Initial backward displacement (2–3) and then forward displacement (3–4). (C) Forward displacement only (3–4). Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2004 85, 785-793DOI: (10.1016/j.apmr.2003.06.025)