Determinants of shuttle run performance in the prediction of peak VO2 in wheelchair users.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of ergonomic and environmental variations on indoor shuttle run (SR) performance in wheelchair sportsmen.


METHODS
Eleven experienced male wheelchair sportsmen performed three 25-m SRs in random order with varying turning capacity (TC) and mechanical resistance (MR): condition NN where participants used their sports wheelchair on a tartan surface, condition RN with increased MR, and condition RD with limited TC. Metabolic data were continuously recorded using a portable K4b(2) system.


RESULTS
Friedman ANOVA with Wilcoxon a posteriori testing indicated similar VO(2peak) values in all three tests. SR performance, however, was significantly different across the three test conditions (NN: 536.18 +/-119.09 s; RN: 488.82+/-119.84 s; RD: 404.91+/-88.41 s). SR performance contributed for 28% of the explained variance of the measured VO(2peak). The addition of TC or MR or both increased the explained variance to 32, 38 and 41%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings demonstrate a significant impact of variations in floor surface and wheelchair-user interface on SR performance. The findings also suggest that strong reservations have to be made regarding the validity of a SR test, as predictor of VO(2peak) in a wheelchair user population.
Vanlandewijck
Yves
Y
Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences, Catholic University of Leuven, Tervuursevest 101, 3001 Heverlee, Leuven, Belgium. yves.vanlandewijck@faber.kuleuven.be
van de Vliet
Peter
P
Verellen
Joeri
J
Theisen
Daniel
D
D000328:Adult; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010809:Physical Fitness; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014910:Wheelchairs