Childhood-onset wheelchair users report less shoulder pain than adult-onset user

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Childhood-onset wheelchair users report less shoulder pain than adult-

onset users

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=30760

17 Sep 2005

This study examines whether the prevalence of shoulder pain in adult

wheelchair users who began using their wheelchairs during childhood

is similar to those who began using their wheelchairs as adults.

Investigators compared reports of shoulder and overall pain and

physical activity levels in 31 childhood-onset and 22 adult-onset

wheelchairs users.

Shoulder pain was greater in adult-onset wheelchair users than

compared with child-onset wheelchair users even though lifestyles

were similar.

Investigators suggest that a possible reason may be that the immature

skeleton may respond to the repetitive forces of wheeling better than

those who began using a wheelchair after their skeletal structure was

developed.