Exploring the impact of wheelchair casters characteristics on rolling resistance across various surfaces

<b>Purpose</b>: Rolling resistance (RR) significantly impacts the energy efficiency of manual wheelchair propulsion, influencing both daily mobility and sports performance. RR increases when weight shifts forward, making casters a critical contributor. This study aimed to isolate and evaluate the effects of caster diameter, hardness, cross-section, and caster type on RR across diverse surfaces, including sports and everyday environments. <b>Material and Methods</b>: Ten casters with varying characteristics (diameter, hardness, cross-section, and material) were tested on six surfaces (GreenSet^®, clay, Taraflex^®, linoleum, stabilised ground floor, and tiles) using a custom deceleration cart. Measurements were collected using a wireless inertial measurement unit during deceleration tests, following a structured experimental design. <b>Results</b>: Statistical analysis confirmed that smaller caster diameters exhibited higher RR, while larger casters reduced resistance. Harder casters generally minimized RR, except on stabilised ground floor, where softer casters performed better. Cross-section effects varied by surface, with flat profiles reducing RR on both smooth and irregular terrains. Skate-type casters demonstrated the lowest RR across most surfaces. <b>Conclusion</b>: These findings highlight the critical role of tailoring caster configurations to specific surface characteristics for optimizing MWC performance. The results can provide valuable recommendations to manual wheelchair users regarding the optimal caster configuration based on their daily mobility needs or the specific characteristics of sports surfaces they train and compete on. Furthermore, the evaluation of ten different casters across six surfaces constitutes a robust dataset, serving as a foundation for the development of digital applications or the integration of resistance values into ergometers. Caster properties, including diameter, hardness, cross-section, and type, significantly affect rolling resistance. Identifying optimal configurations minimizes rolling resistance and helps reduce the physical effort required for wheelchair propulsion.Selecting casters tailored to the type of surface, whether indoor or outdoor, hard or unstable, is essential for improving propulsion efficiency and user experience.For sports surfaces such as GreenSet^® or Taraflex^®, specific recommendations guide wheelchair athletes in choosing equipment optimized for performance. Such considerations are crucial for active rehabilitation and adapted sports practices.Rolling resistance parameters inform the development of numerical models and simulation tools that predict and assess the impact of different wheelchair configurations. These parameters are also valuable for integration into ergometers to evaluate and enhance user performance. Caster properties, including diameter, hardness, cross-section, and type, significantly affect rolling resistance. Identifying optimal configurations minimizes rolling resistance and helps reduce the physical effort required for wheelchair propulsion. Selecting casters tailored to the type of surface, whether indoor or outdoor, hard or unstable, is essential for improving propulsion efficiency and user experience. For sports surfaces such as GreenSet^® or Taraflex^®, specific recommendations guide wheelchair athletes in choosing equipment optimized for performance. Such considerations are crucial for active rehabilitation and adapted sports practices. Rolling resistance parameters inform the development of numerical models and simulation tools that predict and assess the impact of different wheelchair configurations. These parameters are also valuable for integration into ergometers to evaluate and enhance user performance.