title: Thermoregulatory Responses during Competitive Wheelchair Rugby Match Play.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine whether a player's physical impairment or activity profile was related to the amount of thermal strain experienced during wheelchair rugby match play. 17 elite wheelchair rugby players played a competitive match, whilst activity profiles, measures of core and skin temperature, heart rate and perceptual responses were taken. Players were divided into 2 groups depending on their physical impairment: players with a cervical spinal cord injury, (n=10) or non-spinal related physical impairment (n=7). Total distance was lower (4 842±324 vs. 5 541±316 m, p<0.01, ES=2.2) and mean speed slower (1.13±0.11 vs. 1.27±0.11 m∙s-1, p<0.03, ES=1.3) in players with a spinal cord injury. Yet, the change in core temperature (1.6±0.4 vs. 0.7±0.3°C, p<0.01, ES=2.5) was significantly greater in players with a spinal cord injury. In conclusion, players with a spinal cord injury were under greater thermal strain during wheelchair rugby match play, as a result of their reduced heat loss capacity, due to their physical impairment and not because of their activity profile.
authors.affiliation: Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport, School of Sport and Exercise Health Science, Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Katy E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Griggs
authors.affiliation: Environmental Ergonomics Research Centre, Design School, Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Havenith
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular and Sports Science, Coventry University, Coventry, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Price
authors.affiliation: Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport, School of Sport and Exercise Health Science, Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Barry S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.affiliation: Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport, School of Sport and Exercise Health Science, Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Victoria L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Goosey-Tolfrey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D001823:Body Composition; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005538:Football / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D012881:Skin Temperature; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014910:Wheelchairs; D055815:Young Adult