2024 Wheelchair Compendium of Physical Activities: An update of activity codes and energy expenditure values

Purpose: This paper presents an update of the 2011 Wheelchair Compendium of Physical Activities designed for wheelchair users and is referred to as the 2024 Wheelchair Compendium. The Wheelchair Compendium aims to curate existing knowledge of the energy expenditure for wheelchair physical activities (PAs).

Methods: A systematic review of the published energy expenditure of PA for wheelchair users was completed between 2011 and May 2023. We added these data to the 2011 Wheelchair Compendium data that was compiled previously in a systematic review through 2011.

Results: A total of 47 studies were included, and 124 different wheelchair PA reported energy expenditure values ranging from 0.8 metabolic equivalents for wheelchair users (filing papers, light effort) to 11.8 metabolic equivalents for wheelchair users (Nordic sit skiing).

Conclusion: In introducing the updated 2024 Wheelchair Compendium, we hope to bridge the resource gap and challenge the prevailing narratives that inadvertently exclude wheelchair users from physical fitness and health PAs.