Biomechanics and physiology of daily handcycling

We are looking for one (or two) bachelor student(s) of Movement Science with an interest in rehabilitation research. You will be part of the team within the project: “A biomechanical and physiological analysis of handcycling in daily living”.

Background and aim

Wheelchair dependent individuals often have inactive lifestyle, because they are bound to their chair. This can lead to secondary diseases, like obesitas or diabetes mellitus. The propulsion of the widely used handrim wheelchair is very repetitive. Therefore, commuting long distances can be straining. Previous research has shown that handcycling is an efficient alternative to the handrim wheelchair. Because of the reduced strain, the wheelchair user can travel further, stay active and be independent in daily life.
The aim of the project is to describe the biomechanical and physiological effects of different handcycle configurations on daily handcycling. We aim to understand the underlying mechanisms of this kind of propulsion, so that we can optimize commuting in daily live.

Your assignment

We will measure the handcycle movement of a group healthy man and investigate the effects of practice. It is foreseen to perform a pre- and post-test to measure the developments. To get the complete picture, we want to measure kinetics, kinematics, EMG and spirometry. Your job will be to help during the measurements and analysis of the data.
For your poster, you can present preliminary result from a small section of the dataset collected.