Clinicians’ perspectives on the usability and usefulness of an mHealth fall risk assessment for individuals who use wheelchairs: a pilot study

Wheelchair-related injuries due to tips and falls are a major concern among individuals who use wheelchairs. Although various types of equipment exist for assessing wheelchair-related fall risk, many are impractical in clinical settings due to their high cost. Smartphone-based mobile health (mHealth) solutions can offer an alternative by minimising the need for specialised equipment. This pilot study evaluated the usability and usefulness of Steady Wheels, a smartphone-based mHealth application designed to assess fall risks among individuals who use wheelchairs. The app's feasibility was explored through demonstrations and semi-structured interviews with rehabilitation clinicians. Participants highlighted the app's ease of use for individuals of all ages who use wheelchairs, in particular, novice users. They suggested enhancements to improve usability and usefulness, such as tracking progress over time and integrating additional fall risk factors. Although the findings are limited by the small sample size and focus on clinicians rather than wheelchair users, this pilot test provides initial support for the feasibility of Steady Wheels as a practical, low-cost tool for evaluating fall risk in clinical settings. Future research should include larger and more diverse samples to further validate and refine the app's functionality and clinical integration.