Clinical trial NCT06200493: Effects of Maximum Strength and Acceleration Ability on Performance and Training in Wheelchair Sports
Official title: Investigation of Maximum Strength and Acceleration Ability as a Function of Grip Position and Its Effects on Performance and Training in Wheelchair Sports
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Spinal Cord Injuries
Athletes
Wheelchair
Keywords: maximal strength
sprint time
maximal acceleration
Lead sponsor: Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil
Sponsor class: NETWORK
First posted: 2024-01-11
Enrollment: 10
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Observational model: CASE_ONLY
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: wheelchair athletes that are squad members in either wheelchair rugby or wheelchair basketball or doing more than 3h wheelchair basket/rugby training per week

Brief summary: The goal of this observational study is to learn about the relation between grip position and maximal strength and power in wheelchair rugby and basketball athletes. The main question is to investigate the relationship between maximal isometric force, acceleration, and sprint time.

Participants will

* pull in their sport wheelchair against a force transducer
* push in their sport wheelchair from a force transducer
* accelerate as fast as possible with one push
* accelerate as fast as possible over a distance of 20m

Researchers will compare the wheelchair basketball against wheelchair rugby players to see if there is a difference in the parameters.

Detailed description: The study duration is approximately 2 hours per participant. First, the screening will be done and the participant does a warmup (\~30 min). After that, the participant gets ready for testing, which will last for approximately 90 minutes. In each test, the participants have trial rounds to familiarize with the test procedure. The testing consist of three different exercises, the isometric strength test (IsoMST), the maximum initial push propulsion (MIPP) and the sprint. In the IsoMST a pull setup which was already used in literature and a push setup which has yet to be validated will be used. For the pull setup, the chair of the athlete is fixated on the wall which results in a static situation and allows for an isometric effort. For the push setup, a bumper is installed on the wall, against which the athletes can push with their chair. Different grip position will be measured. In the MIPP test the participants are instructed to accelerate as quickly as possible from standstill with only one push on the rim. The MIPP will be executed with several different grip positions, equal to the IsoMST. For the sprint, 20m will be marked out on a playing court. The athletes are instructed to complete the distance as quickly as possible. Several split times as well as the total time will be measured.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* squad members or doing more than 3h per week wheelchair basket/rugby training
* adequately informed and consent confirmed per signature

Exclusion Criteria:

* Pregnancy based on anamnesis
* acute illness, injury, infection, etc., which would impact the measurements.

Primary outcomes:
measure: maximal pull force
timeFrame: during 1 second of maximal pulling
Secondary outcomes:
measure: maximal push force
timeFrame: during the first second of maximal pushing
measure: maximal acceleration
timeFrame: during the first second of acceleration
measure: sprint time
timeFrame: during the last second of the 20 metre sprint
Other outcomes:
measure: rate of force development
timeFrame: during the first second of maximal push
measure: sprint distance time
timeFrame: during 5 seconds of the linear sprint
measure: one push maximal speed
timeFrame: during the last second of acceleration
Locations:
city: Nottwil
country: Switzerland
facility: Swiss Paraplegic Centre
state: Lucerne
Study officials:
References: