ActiWheel

Development and Validation of Tools to Measure Physical Activity in Children Aged 6 to 16 Years Using a Wheelchair
The study aims to develop, review, and test various measurement tools to assess physical activity in children who use wheelchairs. For this purpose, the study employs an accelerometer (a motion sensor used to measure physical activity; Model Move4 & EcgMove4, movisens GmbH, Karlsruhe) as well as a German-language questionnaire designed to capture physical activity in children who use manual wheelchairs. The project consists of two core elements: 

1. Data Collection for Model Development and Validation of Energy Expenditure and Activity Level Estimation from Accelerometer Data
   The goal is to adapt existing algorithms at movisens for estimating activity levels and energy expenditure from accelerometer data so they can also be applied to children aged 6 to 16 years who use wheelchairs. To achieve this, a study will be conducted in which accelerometer data is collected under defined activity conditions representing specific activity levels. 

1. Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Assess Habitual Physical Activity
   A German-language questionnaire will be developed to assess habitual physical activity across different settings in children aged 6 to 16 years who use wheelchairs. Its validity and reliability will be tested through a test-retest design and cognitive testing. 

 

 

ActiWheel – Habitual Physical Activity and Movement Behavior of Children Using Wheelchairs: An Explorative Interview Study 

The aim of this project is to gain an in-depth understanding of the habitual physical activity of children who use a wheelchair for their primary mobility. The focus lies on the type and duration of physical activities within habitual behavior across different everyday domains. 

Previous research on the activity of children and adolescents who use a wheelchair for their primary mobility has typically addressed either the type or the duration of physical activity, but not both aspects in combination. The few existing studies on the physical activity of these children show inconsistent results. In particular, they do not provide insights into the habitual activities that children in wheelchairs engage in. For example, accelerometer measurements have been used to assess the duration and intensity of activity over a short period (1–3 days) (Bloemen et al., 2020; Bloemen et al., 2019). Other qualitative studies have identified the types of physical activity (e.g., climbing), but not their duration or frequency per week (Kanagasabai et al., 2018; Walker et al., 2020). 

Therefore, the aim of the present study is to investigate how much and in which areas of daily life children who use a wheelchair for their primary mobility are physically active over the course of a week. For this purpose, four domains of everyday activity behavior are examined (Jekauc et al., 2014): the school commute, school, leisure time, and daily life activities. In-depth interviews are conducted with children for this purpose. Each interview is designed to last no longer than 45 minutes. 

 

Project management: Prof. Dr. Anne Kerstin Reimers (FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg)

Project collaborators: Selina Seemüller, Franziska Beck (FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg), Frederik Bükers (Uni Hamburg)

Project Partner: Prof. Dr. Claus Krieger

 

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