Anaerobic Performance of Older Female and Male Wheelchair Basketball Players on a Mobile Wheelchair Ergometer

Abstract

The purpose was to compare the anaerobic performance of male and female wheelchair basketball players in the 30-s Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT), performed on a mobile wheelchair ergometer. Participants were 10 female and 10 male wheelchair basketball players, aged 39 to 56, from a provincial wheelchair basketball team. Variables measured included peak and mean velocity and power, as well as the fatigue indices. Test-retest reliability, based on 13 participants (7 males and 6 females), ranged from .88 to .95 for peak and mean power and velocity variables and from .40 to .62 for the fatigue indices. Findings for the sample of 20 indicated that (a) males had significantly higher peak and mean velocity and power than females, and (b) females had significantly higher velocity fatigue indices than males.