Aerobic and anaerobic arm-cranking power outputs of males with lower limb impairments: relationship with sport participation intensity, age, impairment and functional classification.

Abstract

Fifty individuals with lower limb impairments including spinal cord injury, polio and amputations underwent aerobic and anaerobic arm-cranking tests in a standardized laboratory setting. Based on linear regression models applied with age as dependent variable aerobic performance variable including HRmax (R = 0.395, P = 0.004), and POaer (R = 0.31, P = 0.021) were subjected to ANCOVA adjusting for age in order to determine the significance of participation intensity (competitive vs leisure) and type of physical impairment. Anaerobic performance variables were not influenced by age and thereby subjected to 1-Way ANOVA with the same independent variables. Participation intensity and type of impairment significantly discriminated (P < 0.001) between athletes in all power variables. Linear regression models have shown moderate but significant (P < 0.001) relationship with functional ability (bases on International Wheelchair Basketball Federation classification system). In anaerobic mean power (MP) classification accounted for 42% of the variance, while in anaerobic peak power (PP) and aerobic Power (POaer) for 38% and 30% respectively. By means of a post hoc Tukey analysis significant differences were observed between athletes with a high level paraplegia (class 1) and those with one leg affected by polio or amputations (classes 4, 4.5). Athletes with low level paraplegia and two legs affected by polio (classes 2-3.5) had values in-between. Based on the descriptive evaluation, a three group scheme was conceptualized and resubjected to ANOVA. Significant intergroup differences were thus obtained only for PP. Descriptive PP data for each group were transformed into a five category table in order to provide reference values for fitness-estimation in males with lower limb impairments of various etiologies.