Can a 15m-overground wheelchair sprint be used to assess wheelchair-specific anaerobic work capacity?

Jan W. van der Scheer*, Sonja de Groot, Riemer J. K. Vegter, DirkJan (H. E. J. ) Veeger, Lucas H. V. van der Woude

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

21 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether outcomes based on stopwatch time and power output (PO) over a 15m-overground wheelchair sprint test can be used to assess wheelchair-specific anaerobic work capacity, by studying their relationship with outcomes on a Wingate-based 30s-wheelchair ergometer sprint (WAnT).

METHODS: Able-bodied persons (N=19, 10 men, aged 18-26 y) performed a 15m overground sprint test in an instrumented wheelchair and a WAnT. 15m-outcomes were based on stopwatch time (time and mean velocity over 15m) and on PO (primary outcome: highest mean unilateral PO over successive 5s-intervals (P5-15m)). WAnT-outcomes were mean unilateral PO over 30s and the highest mean unilateral PO over successive 5s-intervals. Correlation coefficients (Pearson's r) and coefficients of determination (R(2)) were calculated between 15m-sprint outcomes and WAnT-outcomes.

RESULTS: Time over 15m (7.2s (± 1.0)) was weakly related to WAnT-outcomes (r=-0.61 and -0.60, R(2)=0.38 and 0.36, p<0.01), similar to mean velocity over 15m (2.1 m·s(-1) (± 0.3), R(2)=0.43 and 0.39, p<0.01). P5-15m (38.1W (± 14.0)) showed a moderate relationship to WAnT-outcomes (r=0.77 and 0.75, R(2)=0.59 and 0.56, p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: It seems that outcomes based on stopwatch time over a 15m-overground sprint cannot be used to assess wheelchair-specific anaerobic work capacity, in contrast to an outcome based on PO (P5-15m). The 15m-sprint with an instrumented wheel can be implemented in rehabilitation practice and research settings when WAnT equipment is not available, although care is needed when interpreting P5-15m as an outcome of anaerobic work capacity given that it seems more skill-dependent than the WAnT.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)432-438
Number of pages7
JournalMedical Engineering & Physics
Volume36
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr-2014

Keywords

  • Anaerobic power
  • Fitness
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Sprint power
  • Wheelchair propulsion
  • Wingate testing
  • SPINAL-CORD-INJURY
  • INPATIENT REHABILITATION
  • PROPULSION TECHNIQUE
  • PHYSICAL CAPACITY
  • SKILL PERFORMANCE
  • AFTER-DISCHARGE
  • DAILY-LIFE
  • ERGOMETER
  • POWER
  • STRAIN

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