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07/01/25 - Latest News

Why MAT Assessments are So Important in Wheelchair Prescription

A MAT Assessment, or MAT Evaluation, is commonly used by clinicians as part of the seating and mobility assessment process.

MAT stands for Mechanical Assessment Tool. It is used to ascertain:

  • available range for a seated posture
  • seated angles
  • loading areas
  • whether postural asymmetries are flexible or fixed
  • if neutral alignment is achieved, and if it’s tolerable
  • where support surfaces may be required.

Essentially, you’re looking at how the client’s body operates in the seated and lying (supine) positions, and then assessing any potential interventions for improving posture and pressure management, by using your hands to act as lateral supports, pelvic belts or any other supports that might be needed. At first, completing a MAT Evaluation may seem a little daunting, but once you get the hang of it, you won’t look back!

MAT Evaluation Training

The 3 Steps of a MAT Assessment

Essentially, a MAT Assessment has three steps, including:

Step 1: Seated Evaluation
This is where the client is assessed in their current wheelchair. This part of the assessment usually identifies current postural issues the client is experiencing. You can feel the client’s pelvis and identify any pelvic obliquity, pelvic rotation and range of motion limitations that are occurring in their current seating.

Step 2: Supine or Lying Evaluation
This part of the assessment looks at identifying the range of motion available in the hips, knees and ankles to determine how the person’s body can be positioned in a seated position. For example, if your supine assessment shows that the client has limited hip flexion and can not tolerate sitting with the hips at 90°, you may consider changing their cushion to allow the client’s hips to be at 100°. To measure the range of motion, you can passively move the lower limbs to see what movement is available and take measurements with a goniometer (a device that measures angles).

Step 3: Unsupported Sitting Evaluation
This is the final part of the assessment which allows you to simulate what supports will be needed for the seating system. Generally, the client is supported into a sitting position on the edge of a plinth or firm surface, and you can use your hands to mimic supports that could be put in place in a seating system, and what the client needs to optimise their seated position. If the client requires one hand up near the axilla or armpit on the right side, and one hand at the bottom of the ribs on the left side to be in the best functional position, this is probably where the lateral supports in a seating system need to be. The angle and size of your hands can also help to determine the angle and size of the lateral supports.

MAT Evaluation

How to Overcome Barriers when Completing a MAT Assessment

A MAT Assessment can take at least an hour, so in today’s world of billable hours, it may be tempting to skip it to save time and money – however, this is not best practice. Considering the importance of the information gained, and the impact this has on seating and mobility prescription, it is vital that the assessment is completed.

Remember, the seating and mobility solution you prescribe will probably be used for many hours every day for several years, so it’s essential that you get it right. You need all the information you can get to prescribe the best solution, and the MAT Assessment is a major tool used to gather this information.

Another barrier many clinicians face when completing a MAT Assessment is the lack of suitable space. To complete the assessment, you need a firm surface to ensure that the information you’re getting is accurate. You don’t want to think a client has a pelvic obliquity, when really it was just the soft surface that made them lean to one side. However, sometimes it can be difficult to find a firm surface in a community setting. It’s unlikely that you’ll have a plinth easily available, and although MAT Evaluations for smaller children can usually be completed on the floor, it can be challenging to move a larger child or adult to the floor for the assessment.

In these situations, try to find the firmest surface you can. Some therapists use a portable massage table, or you may just have to use the client’s bed. If they use an air mattress, you might be able to adjust it to make it firmer. A firm foam camping mattress on top of their bed can also help make the surface a little firmer. Just do the best you can in the setting you’re in – any MAT Assessment is better than none.

MAT Evaluation Importance

We Offer Free MAT Evaluation Courses Plus Much More!

Because Power Mobility works closely with therapists who prescribe assistive technology, we are dedicated to providing ongoing professional development. We offer a selection of clinical, product and technical courses to help therapists develop the latest practical skills and thinking. We regularly hold workshops (such as MAT Evaluation) in Brisbane, on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, in the Wide Bay region and Rockhampton. We receive great feedback about these sessions, as the topics we cover often aren’t taught in traditional learning environments.

Visit the Prescriber Events & Education section of our website for our full education schedule, and to see what’s coming soon.

Trust the Experts at Power Mobility

An NDIS Registered Provider with over 40 years experience, Power Mobility provides the perfect combination of quality mobility products, personal service and expert advice. Widely regarded as the power wheelchair specialists, Power Mobility is one of the most experienced assistive technology dealers in Queensland, also offering a wide selection of scooters, lift chairs, manual wheelchairs and much more. So give our friendly team a call on (07) 3265 4663 or drop into our showroom in Geebung, Brisbane.

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