For teaching a C6 quadriplegia patient to transfer from a wheelchair to a mat, which direction should the head and shoulders rotate?

For teaching a C6 quadriplegia patient to transfer from a wheelchair to a mat, which direction should the head and shoulders rotate?

• A. Rotate your head and shoulders in the same direction to the desired hip motion
• B. Rotate your head and shoulders in the direction opposite to the desired motion
• C. Keep your fingers extended to give a broader base of support
• D. Keep your hands near your knees to lock elbows

Answer: (B)

Rotating the head and shoulders opposite to the direction you want to move cue the trunk to rotate toward the transfer target, which drives the pelvis and weight shift in that direction. For a C6 quadriplegia patient, trunk rotation and weight shift are the primary mechanisms that enable a safe wheelchair-to-mat transfer, since arm and hand control can be limited. By turning away from the target first, the chest and torso rotate toward the mat, helping the buttocks slide and the body settle onto the surface with less reliance on the arms. The other ideas focus on hand position or grip, which don’t initiate the necessary trunk-driven movement for this transfer.

Rotating the head and shoulders opposite to the direction you want to move cue the trunk to rotate toward the transfer target, which drives the pelvis and weight shift in that direction. For a C6 quadriplegia patient, trunk rotation and weight shift are the primary mechanisms that enable a safe wheelchair-to-mat transfer, since arm and hand control can be limited. By turning away from the target first, the chest and torso rotate toward the mat, helping the buttocks slide and the body settle onto the surface with less reliance on the arms. The other ideas focus on hand position or grip, which don’t initiate the necessary trunk-driven movement for this transfer.