Module 3 - Hands-On Assessment
Aim | Rationale | OutcomesAim
This module aims to provide clinicians with instructions and practical tips for hands-on client examination as part of seating and wheeled mobility assessment. It includes instructions on conducting a mechanical assessment tool (MAT), skin check and balance.
Rationale
After a thorough interview to understand relevant medical, psychosocial, functional and environmental needs of the client, a hands-on assessment is needed to explore, verify and quantify the issues detected or reported by the client.
A MAT is used to:
- evaluate the flexibility of the client's body and assess flexible or fixed deformities in the supine position
- assess potential and practical aspects for improving posture and pressure management through simulation in the sitting position
- investigate the influence of tone and spasm on posture and positioning
- provide clear and objective records to set seating goals in set-up trial and final seating system
- provide clinical reasoning for proposed seating intervention in documentation or reports
If there is a history of skin breakdown, a skin check should be conducted to assess and prevent the occurrence of pressure ulcers, as part of the investigation of pressure management in seating and wheeled mobility. Refer to Module 8.
Assessment of functional and dynamic sitting balance can assist in the determination of the postural support required in the seating system.
Outcomes
At the end of the module, you will be able to:
- Describe the basic anatomy and body landmarks of the pelvis and spine
- Understand the rationale and process of MAT assessment
- Describe postural abnormalities
- Categorise sitting balance in relation to the level of spinal cord injury
- Know the purpose and process of a skin check
- Apply information obtained from hands-on assessment to establish postural goals