Short Distance Sprint Performance in Elite Wheelchair Basketball Women Players: Influence of Functional Classification

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse the short-distance sprint performance (SDSP) differences between functional International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) classes in elite wheelchair basketball (WB) women players. Additionally, the association between WB experience and the IWBF functional classification score and SDSP was assessed. Sixteen WB women players belonging to the Spanish national WB team were grouped according to the functional IWBF classes: group 1 (class 1 and 1.5), group 2 (class 2 and 2.5), group 3 (class 3 and 3.5) and group 4 (class 4 and 4.5). Each participant completed 2 sets of 12-m wheeling sprints at maximum speed, and split times at 3, 5 and 12 m were recorded. Major significant differences were observed in SDSP between groups 1 and 4 (p <.05; effect size [ES] range: -2.27 – 4.02) and, while not significant, a clear trend in which the higher the functional IWBF classification the higher the SDSP was observed. Moreover, we found a significant strong association between the functional IWBF classification individual score and the SDSP (p < .05; rs range: 0.61 – 0.71). The SDSP test (split times at 3, 5 and 12 m) would therefore seem to be sufficiently sensitive to reflect the level of functional ability in elite WB women.