ABSTRACT
Physical ergonomics is a key part of equipment design, particularly when considering wheelchair sports. Sports such as wheelchair rugby and basketball include athletes with a range of impairment types and severities, with optimal wheelchair configurations therefore varying substantially. This is further complicated by differing performance factors and on-court roles between players, resulting in optimisation processes, even in elite sport, being somewhat limited. Advancements in equipment and technology have more recently begun to address this area; this ranges from customised seating interfaces, to utilising inertial measurement as a means to provide more detailed performance assessments. This chapter clarifies the current position on emerging technologies and configuration effects in wheelchair sport, as well as recent developments in testing and analysis methods. Practical implications of this knowledge for researchers, practitioners, and coaches is provided through a case-study of optimising wheelchair configuration of elite wheelchair rugby players.
