Reliability of anaerobic and aerobic mobility performance tests used in wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis: A systematic review

ABSTRACT

Background

Understanding the reliability and validity of field-based mobility and performance tests used within the wheelchair sports of basketball (WCB), rugby (WCR) and tennis (WCT) can assist in understanding an athletes’ physiological state, training effects, and/or assist with optimising their wheelchair-user interface.

Purpose

To examine, evaluate and synthesize current aerobic and anaerobic field-based mobility and performance tests used in WCB, WCR and WCT.

Methods

A systematic search was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. Studies were included if they investigated performance tests in WCB, WCR and WCT and reported reliability.

Results

Twenty-one studies covering 45 mobility/performance tests were included (anaerobic, n = 35; aerobic, n = 10), with agility and repeated sprints (n = 13) being the most common, followed by linear-sprints (n = 11). Repeated sprint ability (n = 2) and submaximal field-tests (n = 2) were the least frequent. Intra-class correlations among all tests ranged from 0.62 to 0.99, with agility and repeated sprints being 0.65–0.98, followed by values of 0.62–0.99 for linear-sprint, 0.96–0.99 for repeated sprints and 0.85–0.97 for submaximal field-tests.

Conclusion

The most frequently measured performance tests were anaerobic tests focusing on agility and repeated sprints. Given the low number of aerobic tests in WCB, WCR and WCT, future research should focus on reliable and valid ways to measure and track performance.

KEYWORDS:

• Paralympic
• wheelchair
• performance
• physiology
• mobility

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Authors contributions

All authors provided substantial contributions to the conception, study design and the drafting of the work or revising it critically. Final approval of the version submitted/published and consent for publication has been agreed by all authors.

Data availability statement

Data can be available upon request.

Additional information

Funding

Erica H. Gavel was supported in this systematic review by funding from the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario.