W18 - Optimizing Manual Wheelchair Fit: Practical Skills for Customization and Assessment

HomeEventsW18 - Optimizing Manual Wheelchair Fit: Practical Skills for Customization and Assessment

W18 - Optimizing Manual Wheelchair Fit: Practical Skills for Customization and Assessment

Workshop

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Tuesday, September 9, 2025 ~ 1:15PM - 2:30PM

Event Track Types: Mobility, Assessment

Attendees will work directly with equipment, gaining insight into key wheelchair components such as frame dimensions, center of gravity adjustments, wheel and caster selection, backrest and cushion considerations. Through guided exercises, participants will learn to accurately measure and document frame dimensions, identify appropriate component options, and translate assessment findings into precise order specifications. These skills are essential for ensuring that a prescribed wheelchair truly meets the needs of the end user, supporting their mobility, independence, and overall function.

Learning Objectives:

Justify the benefits of individual manual wheelchair configuration in optimizing the person-technology match.
Analyze wheelchair frame geometry by identifying key measurement points and explaining their clinical impact on user positioning and function.
Evaluate and select wheelchair components based on clinical properties, accurately completing an order form with appropriate sub-select options.

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Stefan Morin, OT, Permobil; Jessica Presperin Pedersen, OTD, MBA, BSOT, ATP/SMS, Sunrise Medical; Tanya Falkenberg, OT, Ki Mobility; Petra Conaway, PT, DPT, ATP, Motion Composites

Meet Your Speaker

Stefan Morin, OT, is a registered occupational therapist who graduated from the University of Toronto in 2008 with a master’s degree in occupational therapy. Stefan joined Permobil in July 2021 as an educator. Stefan has practiced at the Lyndhurst Centre TO, as well as in the community in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Stefan is also a council member of the New Brunswick Association of Occupational Therapists. Stefan was certified as an Assistive Technology Professional through RESNA in 2024.

With over 45 years of clinical practice as an OT, Jessica Presperin Pedersen has worked in all sectors of the wheelchair and seating industry as a master clinician, supplier, manufacturing consultant, design representative, and educator. Dr. Presperin Pedersen was a pioneer in the development of the profession of wheelchairs and seating in the 1980s and has spent the last two decades contributing to the research world to demonstrate evidence for knowledge translation in the clinic, advocacy, and product development.

Tanya received her degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Toronto in 1996. She began her career in an assistive technology and seating clinic, working primarily with individuals with neurodegenerative conditions. With nearly 30 years of experience, Tanya has spent the past 18 years in private practice, specializing in seating and wheeled mobility for clients across various diagnoses. She has also presented continuing professional education courses domestically. Currently, Tanya serves as the Clinical Manager at Ki Mobility. She is an active member of the Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists.

"Petra holds a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from the University of the West of England and a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from A.T. Still University. She began in neurological research on spinal cord injury, stroke, and cerebral palsy before focusing on inpatient neurorehabilitation. Passionate about complex rehab technology, she spent seven years as a wheelchair and seating specialist and research instructor at the Center for Inclusive Design and Engineering. Petra is dedicated to quality service, education, and multidisciplinary teamwork in complex rehab technology.