OBJECTIVE: The potential of a low-cost, novel Kinect?-based markerless motion analysis system as a tool to measure temporospatial parameters, joint and muscle kinematics, and hand trajectory patterns during the propulsion and recovery phase of wheelchair propulsion (WCP) was determined.

METHODS:Twenty (20) adult male track and field paralympians,(mean age = 36 ± 8.47) propelled themselves on a wheelchair ergometer system while their upper extremity motion was recorded by two Kinect? cameras and processed.

RESULTS: The temporospatial parameters, joint kinematics, and hand trajectory patterns during the propulsion and recovery phase of each participant's WCP cycle were determined and averaged. Average cycle time was 1.45s ± 0.19, average cadence was 0.70 cycles/s ± 0.09, and average speed was 0.76m/s ± 0.32. Average shoulder flexion was 30.99° ± 28.38, average elbow flexion was 24.23° ± 12.25, and average wrist flexion was 12.82° ± 26.78. Eighty five percent (85%) of the participants used a semicircular hand trajectory pattern.

CONCLUSION: The low-cost, novel Kinect?-based markerless motion analysis system had the potential to obtain measurable values during independent wheelchair propu
Biomechanical Phenomena ; Ergometry ; Track and Field ; Para-Athletes