Effect of repeated, on-field sprints on kinematic variables in wheelchair rugby players

Sadate Bakatchina; Florian Brassart; Kossivi Dosseh; Thierry Weissland; Didier Pradon; Arnaud Faupin

doi:10.1097/PHM.0000000000002337

Effect of repeated, on-field sprints on kinematic variables in wheelchair rugby players

Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2023 Sep 25. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000002337. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Sadate Bakatchina¹, Florian Brassart, Kossivi Dosseh², Thierry Weissland³, Didier Pradon⁴, Arnaud Faupin¹

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory Physical Activity Impact on Health (IAPS), University of Toulon, Toulon, France.
² Laboratory of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Science, Université of Lome, Lome, Togo.
³ Laboratory of Material to System Integration (IMS), University of Bordeaux, Pessac, France.
⁴ Pole Parasport - ISPC Synergies, CHU Raymond Poincaré, APHP, Garches, France.

PMID: 37752068
DOI: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000002337

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the influence of repeated sprints on kinematic performance and propulsion variables during the acceleration and constant peak velocity phases in wheelchair rugby players classified as defensive (LP-D) or offensive players (HP-O).

Design: 22 players (13 LP-D and 9 HP-O) performed 6 × 20 m repeated sprint field tests. We calculated peak wheelchair velocities, propulsion phase times, deceleration phase times, cycle times, and left-right velocity asymmetry of the best and last sprints during the acceleration and constant peak velocity phases; the rate of decline in performance variables between the best and the last sprint and a fatigue index.

Results: Peak velocities during the acceleration and constant peak velocity phases and mean velocity over the whole sprint were significantly higher during the best than last sprint. Peak velocities were higher during the acceleration and constant peak velocity phases for the best and last sprint for HP-O. The rate of decline in peak velocity during the constant peak velocity phase was higher for LP-D. Fatigue index and rate of decline in velocities and sprint time were higher for LP-D.

Conclusions: Performance variables and the rate of decline in performance variables depended on functional capacity and wheelchair type.