Out of the lab, onto the court: Wheelchair Mobility Performance quantified

Performance in wheelchair court sports is to a large extent determined by the wheelchair mobility performance, the performance measure for the wheelchair-athlete combination. So far, wheelchair mobility performance is mostly utilized as concept, rather than a well quantified measure. However, in order to gain insight in the interaction between athlete, wheelchair and sport, it should be an objective and well quantified outcome that is easily measured. An inertial sensor-based “Wheelchair Mobility Performance Monitor” (WMPM) was developed that met the demands of objective quantification of mobility performance in an easy to use manner. This WMPM is believed to be a valuable tool for wheelchair court sports practice and research. All research done with the WMPM showcases its opportunities and commenced the unravelling of the complex interactions between athlete, wheelchair and sport. It will be a matter of time before the use of the WMPM will be common practice in wheelchair sports and sports research.