Anthropometry of Wheeled Mobility Project: Final Report

This data depicts the amount of space required by users of wheeled mobility devices to perform a 90-degree turn ("L-Turn"). The bold dashed line in the table and figure indicates the current ADA-ABA requirement of a 91.5 cm (36 in.) passage width. Findings from the Anthropometry of Wheeled Mobility Study indicate that a  width of at least 85 cm (33 in.) was required for 50% of the manual and power wheelchair users measured in this study to perform a 90-degree turn. A width of 100 cm (39 in.) was required in order for 95% of manual wheelchair and power chair users to complete the turn, with 95% of scooter users needing a width of at least 110 cm (43 in.) These data are based on measurements of wheeled mobility users performing 90-degree turns in a hallway, built with mock walls. The outside wall of the hallway was fixed. The other side of each leg had moveable walls. The enclosed space was incrementally increased until a user could pass through the turn successfully. The minimum space required to perform a complete 90-degree turn within moving or knocking down any of the walls was recorded. Use of multiple short turns was allowed in contrast to a single continuous turn.