Review Series: Seating And Mobility Specialist (SMS) CEU Courses for PTs

Wheelchair seating encompasses evaluation, postural management, pressure mitigation, and facilitating function. Seating strategies change, however, when applied to specific client populations. This course will address considerations when working with pediatric, geriatric, bariatric, and degenerative populations.

Occupational and physical therapists are often key members of the wheelchair seating evaluation team. Seating interventions, including pressure management, seated angles, and strategies to address common positioning challenges will be addressed in this course.

Power wheelchairs do far more than drive – the driving method can be used to navigate and control other features including Reverse, Speeds, Power Seating, or an Interfaced Assistive Technology device (i.e. a communication device). Power Wheelchairs can send Bluetooth signals to control devices such as tablets and smartphones. Finally, new SMART technologies are making power wheelchairs safer and more efficient for everyone. This course is directly related to the practice of physical therapy and is therefore appropriate for the PT/PTA.

This course will present common trunk asymmetries seen in wheelchair seating with suggested strategies to address each challenge. Providing as neutral a trunk position as possible improves overall posture, stability, and function. This course will then systematically address potential upper and lower extremity positioning challenges with suggested interventions. By specifically positioning the extremities, the seating system provides stability, function and even protection from injury. This course is directly related to the practice of physical therapy and is therefore appropriate for the PT/PTA.

Power wheelchair evaluation determines appropriateness for power wheelchair use and then determines the optimal power wheelchair base, power seating, driving method and other needed components. Optimizing power wheelchair driving is critical to improve outcomes and includes choosing the best drive wheel configuration, utilizing tracking technologies, and programming.

While some clients require a power wheelchair to achieve independent mobility, not all will be able to use a standard joystick. Clients with paralysis, muscle weakness, increased muscle tone, and uncontrolled movements can often drive a power wheelchair successfully when matched to the most appropriate alternative driving method. This course will systematically explore various alternative driving methods, including specific features, to match these complex client needs. Case studies will be used throughout.

This course will present alternate manual wheelchair drive mechanisms, including non-powered and powered options to increase manual wheelchair efficiency and decrease pain and injury risk. These drive mechanisms increase the force of each handrim stroke for increased travel as well as force to overcome slopes and uneven terrain.

This course will present an appropriate configuration of ultralight manual wheelchairs to optimize self-propulsion efficiency. Increased efficiency decreases the risk of repetitive stress injuries and pain, as well as improves function.

Wheelchair seating is designed to provide postural support and alignment, stability for function and mitigate pressure issues. This course will address assessment and intervention when working with a client who can only sit with the support of their hands, referred to as the ‘hands-dependent’ sitter.

Wheelchair seating is designed to provide postural support and alignment, stability for function and mitigate pressure issues. This course will address assessment and intervention when working with a client who can only sit with external supports, referred to as a prop sitter.