Resumo. BACKGROUND: This current opinion is a call for standardization of measurements of manual wheeling ability among larger and diverse populations to support our understanding of motor control and learning. VIEW OF THE PAST: Handrim wheelchair propulsion remains the most common mode of wheeled ambulation and has stood the test of time as a practical upper-body alternative to walking. CURRENT STATE: Two theoretical models appeared useful in understanding the demands on the wheelchair-user combination and the role of motor skill acquisition: Power Balance Model and Constraint-based Approach. FUTURE PERSPECTIVE: Power output and energy cost measures are crucial mediators in the development of a motor control theory of cyclic motions in rehabilitation, adapted sports and beyond.