Reasons for using power tilt: perspectives from clients and therapists

Abstract

Purpose: A power tilt wheelchair allows independence in changing body position to address a variety of needs throughout the day; however, literature and clinical practice suggest that actual use varies greatly. This grounded theory study examined how power tilt was used in daily life from the perspectives of adults who used power tilt and therapists who prescribed this technology.Methods: A constant comparative approach was used to collect and analyze interview data from five people who use power tilt and six therapists who prescribe this technology.Results: This paper presents the findings specific to understanding the reasons why power tilt was used, focusing on the relationships between tilt use and (1) the reasons for use, (2) the reasons for prescribing power tilt and (3) the associated amplitudes of tilt.Conclusions: This study advances knowledge related to how power tilt is used in daily life by elucidating that how the reasons for use are conceptualized is complex. The three relationships related to the reason for power tilt use identified in this paper have the potential to influence the quality of communication about power tilt use in clinical practice between therapist and client and in research between researcher and participant.Implications for Rehabilitation:Understanding the inconsistencies and variations in how power tilt is used in daily life is dependent on exploring the reasons beyond the words or terms expressed to describe use.Reasons for tilt use are context dependent, particularly the activity occurring at the time of tilt use, the associated amplitude of tilt and the influence of other reasons occurring at the same time.