Wheelchair skills training for people with autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay: exploring wheelchair skills and confidence in a multimethod pilot study

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe changes in manual wheelchair skills (capacity and performance) and wheelchair use confidence following structured wheelchair skills training in adults with Autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay (ARSACS), and to explore experiences of wheelchair mobility and training, and perceptions regarding training. MATERIALS AND METHODS: = 3 males with ARSACS) consisted of clinical evaluations (Wheelchair Skills Test (capacity and performance), Wheelchair Use Confidence Scale) and semi-structured interviews before and after five sessions of wheelchair skills training. Individual clinical scores were summarised and qualitative data were analysed thematically using an inductive approach. RESULTS: Three adult males with ARSACS demonstrated improvements in wheelchair skills capacity and confidence, though wheelchair skills performance decreased. Pre-training themes included the adaptation processes and training expectations, while post-training themes included impact of training, satisfaction with training, and recommendation for early intervention. CONCLUSION: = 3), these findings should be interpreted with caution and may not be generalisable; future randomised controlled trials are needed to determine causal effect.