Seat Height
The most effective seat height is a function of the athlete's trunk and arm length and of the handrim size that is selected.
Higgs (1983) reported that in athletes at the 1980 Paralympic games, superior performances were recorded by those with lower seats.
Experimental work by Traut (1989) showed greater propulsion efficiency when a relatively low" seat position was used, and experimental work by Meijs, Van Oers, Van de Woude, & Veeger (1989) and by Van de Woude, Veeger, & Rozendal (1990) showed that there was a relationship between the elbow angle (when the athlete was sitting upright in a general sport wheelchair with hands placed on the top center of the handrim) and propulsion efficiency.
Their results showed that efficiency was greatest when the elbow angle was 80 degrees and that the energy cost of sitting too high in the chair was greater than the penalty paid for sitting too low.