Upper limb cranking asymmetry during a Wingate anaerobic test in wheelchair basketball players

Abstract

Introduction Interlimb asymmetry of strength and/or motor coordination could limit the performance of wheelchair athletes or increase their risk of injury. Studies of interlimb asymmetry in the lower limbs have shown high between‐subject variability that does not depend on the side of dominance and that does not change with fatigue. Upper limb asymmetry is particularly large in manual wheelchair athletes with a lower degree of impairment. The aim of this study was to evaluate interlimb asymmetry of forces developed during an upper limb Wingate anaerobic test, the effects of fatigue on force, and differences between high‐ and low‐point players. Method Twenty‐five wheelchair basketball players (13 females and 12 males) of male and female national French teams performed a 30s anaerobic Wingate test on an arm ergometer. Participants were classified into two functional categories, high‐point (classed from 3 to 4.5) and low‐point (classed from 1 to 2.5), according to the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation classification. Left and right arm forces were measured during the pushing and pulling phases at peak power, 10s, and the end of the 30s test. Results Upper limb asymmetry changed with fatigue during each phase. Force asymmetry differed between peak power, 10s and 30s, with no consistent increase or decrease. Asymmetry did not differ significantly between low‐ and high‐point players but tended to be greater in high‐point players. Asymmetry tended to be greater in the females, with significant differences between the males and females in the push phase. Conclusion Inter‐subject variability was high, but forces were asymmetric for most participants, especially females. The Wingate anaerobic test could highlight problematic asymmetries that might impact daily life or sports performance.

Reducing Limb Asymmetry in Females Collegiate Basketball: A Randomized Trial

“…Moreover, the sport-specificity of the impact of interlimb asymmetry is noteworthy. Brassart et al (2023) focused on wheelchair basketball players, revealing that upper limb asymmetry could hinder performance or increase injury risk, particularly in athletes with lower degrees of impairment. This suggests that the influence of asymmetry might be modulated by the functional status of the athlete.…”

Relationship of Force–Velocity Profile between Field Sprints and Lab Ballistic or Cycling Ergometer for Wheelchair Basketball Players

“…To prevent movement between the participant and the wheelchair and between the wheelchair and the floor during the test, each participant was strapped at their thighs or hips according to their pathologies, and their wheelchair were fixed with ratchet straps to the floor. The axis of rotation of the cranks was aligned with the glenohumeral joint [22,25]. The warm-up consisted of 3 min of self-selected cadence cranking at a resistance of 25 W followed by 3 min of low-intensity interval work with active rest periods (working and resting resistance of 100 and 15 W, respectively).…”

“…The arm ergometer software used a torque factor (TF) to establish the resistance level, which was calculated as the torque value divided by the participant's body mass. To individualize the resistance for each participant, an isokinetic test was performed at 80 RPM for 5 s at peak power, and the maximum torque developed was normalized by the participant's body mass to obtain the TF at peak power (TF-ISO) [22]. The resistance levels for each participant were established as 80% of TF-ISO, 40% of TF-ISO, and 0% of TF-ISO.…”

“…However, few studies have attempted to characterize the force-velocity profile of wheelchair propulsion [18], and to our knowledge, none have examined the correlations with other evaluations of the force-velocity profiles that the upper limbs can develop. In the literature, the assessment of symmetry between the upper limbs among manual wheelchair users in daily life or sports has been investigated through various modalities such as the roller ergometer [19], instrumented wheels on the field [21], and arm crank ergometer [22]. Nonetheless, no study has reported on the feasibility of evaluating asymmetry during wheelchair propulsion using a different protocol and gesture, that uses the same muscle groups.…”

Evaluating the Asymmetry of Muscle Activation and Strength in Paralympic Powerlifting Athletes

“…The presence of asymmetries between the limbs has been studied, with few studies specifically addressing performance [ 7 ]. Similarly, it has been reported that limb dominance influences movement kinematics, or is influenced by specific activity, as certain modalities place greater demands on one side of the body and highlight the dominant side compared to the non-dominant limb [ 8 ].…”