Article

The Wheelchair Mobility Performance (WMP) test is a reliable and valid
measure to assess mobility performance in wheelchair basketball. The aim of this
study was to examine the sensitivity to change of the WMP test by manipulating
wheelchair configurations. METHODS: Sixteen wheelchair basketball players
performed the WMP test 3 times in their own wheelchair: (i) without adjustments
("control condition"); (ii) with 10 kg additional mass ("weighted condition");
and (iii) with 50% reduced tyre pressure ("tyre condition").
The outcome measure
was time (s). If paired t-tests were significant (p <0.05) and differences
between conditions were larger than the standard error of measurement, the effect
sizes (ES) were used to evaluate the sensitivity to change. ES values >/=0.2 were
regarded as sensitive to change. RESULTS: The overall performance times for the
manipulations were significantly higher than the control condition, with mean
differences of 4.40 s (weight - control, ES = 0.44) and 2.81 s (tyre - control,
ES = 0.27). The overall performance time on the WMP test was judged as sensitive
to change. For 8 of the 15 separate tasks on the WMP test, the tasks were judged
as sensitive to change for at least one of the manipulations. CONCLUSION: The WMP
test can detect change in mobility performance when wheelchair configurations are
manipulated.

Langue : ANGLAIS