Comparison between the 10- and the 30-s-long Wingate Anaerobic Test in summer Paralympic athletes with a lower limb impairment

Valentina Cavedon,A Rodio,B Di Giacinto,E Guerra,F Alviti,M De Angelis,C Milanese,A Rosponi,M Bernardi

doi:10.1007/s11332-020-00710-x

Abstract

BackgroundThe 30-s-long Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT_30s) has some limitations in high-level athletes. A shorter version might be helpful for both clinical applications and performance assessment. The comparison between the traditional WAnT_30s and a shorter version has never been carried out yet in Paralympic athletes.AimTo assess if a 10-s-long Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT_10s) could be used to accurately assess and predict the anaerobic components of physical fitness as an alternative to the traditional WAnT_30s in male Paralympic athletes.MethodsForty-four trained male Paralympic Athletes grouped by severity of locomotor impairment completed the WAnT_30s and the WAnT_10s with an arm cranking ergometer. Differences between mean and peak power achieved throughout both WAnTs were analysed using a mixed-design analysis of variance and predictivity was assessed by stepwise linear regression analysis.ResultsIn the whole sample, peak power values were similar (P > 0.005) in the two tests and the WAnT_10s mean power was significantly higher than that in the WAnT_30s (P < 0.005). Finally, the mean power measured during WAnT_30s showed high level of predictability from mean power measured during WAnT_10s and the Functional class (adjusted R2 = 0.906; P < 0.001).ConclusionThe WAnT_10s is accurate to assess peak power, is definitively appropriate to evaluate the alactic anaerobic metabolism and seems able to predict the mean power as traditionally evaluated through a WAnT_30s in male Paralympic Athletes. Thus, it can be used to assess the anaerobic components of physical fitness in this athletic population.

Highlights

The Paralympic Games represent one of the major international mega-sport events in the early 21st century [1]
It has been shown that the assessment of these components of physical fitness is of great importance for competitive success in Paralympic sports [4] and for health-related and quality-oflife-related reasons [6, 8, 9]
The assessment of anaerobic components of physical fitness is of great importance in Paralympic sports for both performance and health-related reasons [4, 6, 14, 16, 16, 17, 17, 21, 27, 28, 35]

Summary

Introduction

The Paralympic Games represent one of the major international mega-sport events in the early 21st century [1]. Many motor activities of daily living conducted by individuals with a locomotor impairment are performed in a short duration and utilize anaerobic metabolism [8, 9] For these reasons, monitoring the anaerobic components of physical fitness in Paralympic athletes is useful to evaluate training status, to prevent overtraining, to plan appropriate training protocols maximizing their benefits [4, 6, 10] and to guarantee an appropriate health status and quality of life [8, 9]. Conclusion The WAnT_10s is accurate to assess peak power, is definitively appropriate to evaluate the alactic anaerobic metabolism and seems able to predict the mean power as traditionally evaluated through a WAnT_30s in male Paralympic Athletes. It can be used to assess the anaerobic components of physical fitness in this athletic population

Methods

Results

Conclusion