Assessment of asymmetry and trajectory during repeated twenty-meter sprints in court sports wheelchair athletes.

INTRODUCTION

Manual wheelchair (MWC) propulsion relies on upper limb power, coordination, and endurance. Propulsion asymmetry can reduce efficiency, yet the impact of fatigability on upper limb asymmetry remains underexplored. This study aimed to compare propulsion performance and asymmetry between wheelchair basketball (WB) and wheelchair rugby (WR) players and assess the effect of fatigability on asymmetry during repeated sprints.

METHOD: 13 WB and 10 WR players from French national teams performed 6 × 20 m sprints with 20-second recovery intervals. Inertial measurement units (IMUs) were placed on wheel spokes and the trunk captured wheel velocity and trunk motion. The Instantaneous Symmetry Index (ISI) quantified propulsion asymmetry.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Both groups showed performance decline across sprints, with WB players experiencing a drop in maximal power output and WR players showing reduced average sprint velocity. Asymmetry was highest at sprint initiation, with WB players exhibiting greater ISI values than WR players. Interestingly, WR players demonstrated reduced asymmetry at sprint onset, possibly due to sport-specific anthropometric adaptations. Trunk motion remained stable over sprints but was more pronounced in WB players.

CONCLUSION

The results highlight distinct fatigue-related adaptations in propulsion asymmetry between WB and WR players. The study's findings underscore the need for further exploration into the nuanced dynamics of propulsion and asymmetry in parasport performance.