Article

OBJECTIVES: To describe wheelchair-specific anaerobic work capacity, isometric
strength and peak aerobic work capacity of physically inactive people with
long-term spinal cord injury using outcomes of tests that are feasible for use in
rehabilitation centres, and to determine associations among these fitness
components. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Manual wheelchair users
with spinal cord injury for at least 10 years, who were inactive based on a norm
score of a physical activity questionnaire (n = 29; 22 men; 20 with paraplegia;
median age 53 years). METHODS: Participants performed 3 exercise tests in their
own wheelchair to determine: highest 5-s power output over 15-m overground
sprinting (P5-15m); highest 3-s isometric push-force (Fiso); and peak power
output (POpeak) and peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) over a peak test. RESULTS:
Median (interquartile range) was in P5-15m 16.1 W (9.4-20.9); in Fiso 399 N
(284-610); in POpeak 40.9 W (19.1-54.9); and in VO2peak 1.26 l/min (0.80-1.67).
Correlations among outcomes of fitness components were weak (r = 0.50-0.67, p <
0.01), except for P5-15m with POpeak (r = 0.79, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: All
fitness components measured in this sample were at relatively low levels,
implying a specific need for interventions to improve wheelchair-specific
fitness. The weak-to-moderate associations among components imply that separate
tests should be used when monitoring wheelchair-specific fitness in
rehabilitation centres.

Langue : ANGLAIS