Vertical jump performance in athletes with cerebral palsy

Abstract

The principal difference between an Olympic and a Paralympic sport is the classification structure of the sports in which the athlete competes. The Paralympic Classification System subsidizes such a structure. This study aimed to investigate possible height differences in six vertical jumps in Para athletics athletes with cerebral palsy from classes T35 to T38 to contribute to the Paralympic Classification System. They participated in this study, and forty-one athletes were divided into the experimental group (thirty-five with cerebral palsy T35= 6; T36= 10; T37 = 12; T38 = 7) and the Control Group. The athletes were evaluated using the OptoJump Next equipment (OJ). The protocol sequence of the Vertical Jump battery included squat jump, single left leg one jump, single right leg one jump, both leg seven jumps, single left leg seven jumps, and single right leg seven jumps. We found significant differences between all classes and the control group (p<0.001). This study indicates that the battery of vertical jump tests not only identifies the athletes' eligibility but also helps to allocate different classes of athletes with cerebral palsy. To develop a technical assessment that contributes to implementing evidence to the Classification System of World Paralympic Athletics - WPA. Keywords: Para athletics; evidence-based classification, jump test, and cerebral palsy.