{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,16]],"date-time":"2026-01-16T05:05:29Z","timestamp":1768539929091,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":54,"publisher":"MJS Publishing, Medical Journals Sweden AB","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,15]],"date-time":"2026-01-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768435200000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JRM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Objective: To compare the muscular activity and metabolic response between a novel handle-based wheelchair drive (KURT) and conventional push rim propulsion in a simulated daily mobility circuit.\nDesign: Single-group comparative study between 3 wheelchair configurations.\nParticipants: 22 healthy individuals without prior wheelchair experience.\nMethods: Participants completed a multi--movement circuit including ramps, obstacle avoidance, and directional changes using KURT and 2 push-rim wheelchairs with different wheel sizes (small wheels, SW; large wheels, LW). Electromyographic data were collected bilaterally from 7 upper body muscles, and cardiopulmonary variables were -continuously monitored.\nResults: Biceps brachii activity was significantly higher with KURT than with SW and LW for both arms (all p\u2009&lt;\u20090.001), while triceps brachii and pectoralis major activity were significantly lower (all p\u2009&lt;\u20090.001). Other monitored muscles showed smaller relative differences between configurations, often resulting in limited or no statistically significant effects. Metabolic demand was lower with KURT: heart rate, oxygen consumption, and carbon dioxide production were reduced compared with LW (all p\u2009&lt;\u20090.05), while respiratory exchange ratio was unchanged and respiratory frequency was higher than with SW (p\u2009&lt;\u20090.05).\nConclusion: KURT appears to be a promising, more energy-efficient alternative to push-rim wheelchairs, reducing upper limb muscle demand and metabolic cost. These findings motivate studies in regular wheelchair users and longer-term use in daily living scenarios.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.2340\/jrm.v58.44397","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,15]],"date-time":"2026-01-15T12:24:26Z","timestamp":1768479866000},"page":"jrm44397","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Comparison of muscular activity and metabolic response between a novel handle-based and a push-rim wheelchair in a simulated daily mobility circuit"],"prefix":"10.2340","volume":"58","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-4266-8910","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Georgios","family":"Aronis","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sebastian","family":"Pfau","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Marvin","family":"Abass","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Thomas","family":"Angeli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8977-8702","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Margit","family":"Gf\u00f6hler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1183","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"138804","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wessels KK, Brown JL, Ebersole KT, Sosnoff JJ. 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