Impact of wheelchair seat height on neck and shoulder range of motion during functional task performance.

Wheelchair users are at high risk for developing repetitive stress injuries (RSI) of the cervical spine and glenohumeral joints due to increased demands on active range of motion (AROM) when performing functional tasks from a seated position. The addition of a seat elevation device may alleviate the risk factors that lead to the development of RSI. However, there are no studies which establish that wheelchair seat height impacts upon arthrokinematic requirements at vulnerable joints.