Abstract
The centres of gravity of 44 complete chronic spinal cord injured patients and 24 normal subjects were measured using a gamma ray scanner (Barycentremetre). The results are expressed as a percentage of body length and as anatomical level. The mean weight of paraplegic patients was 12kg less than the controls. The centre of gravity was 5% of body length higher in the paraplegic patients than in the controls, equivalent to 3 to 4 vertebrae level. The importance of such changes in the centre of gravity for the design of stable wheelchairs is discussed.
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Duval-Beaupere, G., Robain, G. Upward displacement of the centre of gravity in paraplegic patients. Spinal Cord 29, 309–317 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.1991.45
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.1991.45
