COMPARISON OF PHYSICAL FITNESS BETWEEN PARALYMPIC TENNIS PLAYERS WITH AND WITHOUT SPINAL CORD INJURY

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to compare grip strength, upper limb explosive strength, sprint, and agility in the wheelchair between Paralympic tennis players with and without spinal cord injury. Methods: The participants were 18 Colombian wheelchair tennis players from the open category who were divided into two groups according to the condition that generated the disability: spinal cord injury (n=9) and without spinal cord injury (n=9). Sociodemographic and sports data were collected, as well as results of manual dynamometry, medicine ball throws simulating forehand, backhand and serve gestures, 5-, 10- and 20-meter sprint, T-Test and Spider test. Results: According to our findings, tennis players who had a spinal cord injury obtained shorter distances in throwing the medicine ball by simulating the forehand (p=0.008), backhand (p=0.009) and serve gestures (p=0.012) and took longer to execute the 5- (p=0.050), 10-meter sprint (p=0.040), T-Test (p=0.037) and Spider test (p= 0.025) in comparison with those without spinal cord injury. Conclusion: The results of the present study demonstrated that athletes who have a spinal cord injury throw the medicine ball shorter distances, are less fast and agile with the wheelchair compared to athletes who have other types of conditions. Therefore, it is essential that individualized interventions are generated by the interdisciplinary team, with emphasis on explosive strength and aspects of mobility in the wheelchair, considering the type of condition that generated the disability, as well as possible adjustments to the functional classification system.

Keywords

• Muscle Strength
• Para-Athletes
• Spinal Cord Injuries
• Tennis

OMURİLİK YARALANMASI OLAN VE OLMAYAN PARALİMPİK TENİSÇİLERİN FİZİKSEL UYGUNLUKLARININ KARŞILAŞTIRILMASI

Öz

Amaç: Bu çalışma, omurilik yaralanması olan ve olmayan Paralimpik tenis oyuncuları arasında tekerlekli sandalyede kavrama kuvveti, üst ekstremite patlayıcı kuvveti, sprint ve çevikliğin karşılaştırılmasını amaçladı. Yöntem: Bu çalışma kesitsel bir çalışma olarak tasarlandı. Katılımcılar, açık kategoriden 18 Kolombiyalı tekerlekli sandalye tenisçisiydi ve sakatlığa neden olan duruma göre iki gruba ayrıldı: omurilik yaralanması (n=9) ve omurilik yaralanması olmayan (n=9). Sosyodemografik ve spor verilerinin yanı sıra manuel dinamometri, forehand, backhand ve servis hareketlerini simüle eden sağlık topu atışları, 5-, 10- ve 20 metre sprint, T-Testi ve Spider testi sonuçları toplandı. Sonuçlar: Bulgularımıza göre, omurilik yaralanması geçiren tenisçiler, omurilik yaralanması geçirmeyenlere kıyasla, forehand (p=0,008), backhand (p=0,009) ve servis hareketlerini (p=0,012) simüle ederek tıp topu atmada daha kısa mesafe elde ettiler ve 5- (p=0,050), 10 metre sprint (p=0,040), T-Testi (p=0,037) ve Spider testi (p=0,025) gerçekleştirmeleri daha uzun sürdü. Tartışma: Bu çalışmanın sonuçları, omurilik yaralanması olan sporcuların sağlık topunu daha kısa mesafelere fırlattıklarını, tekerlekli sandalyede diğer rahatsızlıklara sahip sporculara göre daha az hızlı ve çevik olduklarını göstermiştir. Bu nedenle, bireyselleştirilmiş müdahalelerin disiplinler arası bir ekip tarafından, patlayıcı kuvvet ve tekerlekli sandalyede hareketliliğin yönleri üzerinde durarak, engelliliği yaratan durumun türü ve fonksiyonel sınıflandırma sisteminde olası ayarlamalar göz önünde bulundurularak oluşturulması önemlidir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Kas Kuvveti
• Engelli Sporcular
• Omurilik Yaralanmaları
• Tenis

Kaynakça

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