• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.237-243
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• 2015

As one of the most widely used assistive technology devices for the disabled in Korea, the powered wheelchair conforms to KS P ISO 7176-5 standard size which uses original version of international standard, ISO 7176-5 without technological modification. However, the international standard is not suitable for the disabled in Korea because it defines the size of wheelchair based on the body size of foreigners, which causes imbalanced posture due to limitation of movement or rotation of pelvis, pressure ulcer incidence due to excessive pressure on the thigh or popliteal space and calf, and safety of reduction due to improper posture. This study suggested the guidance of size for powered wheelchair based on human body size examined by Korean Agency for Technology and Standards, showing a great difference from the size defined in KS P ISO 7176-5 and accordingly redefinition for the size of powered wheelchair is needed.