Criterion Validity of a Field-Based Assessment of Aerobic Capacity in Wheelchair Rugby Athletes

Vicky L. Goosey-Tolfrey*, Sonja De Groot, Keith Tolfrey, Tom A.W. Paulson

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

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Abstract

PURPOSE: To confirm whether peak aerobic capacity determined during laboratory testing could be replicated during an on-court field-based test in wheelchair rugby players.

METHODS: Sixteen wheelchair rugby players performed an incremental speed-based peak oxygen uptake (V˙O2peak) test on a motorized treadmill (TM) and completed a multistage fitness test (MFT) on a basketball court in a counterbalanced order, while spirometric data were recorded. A paired t test was performed to check for systematic error between tests. A Bland-Altman plot for V˙O2peak illustrated the agreement between the TM and MFT results and how this related to the boundaries of practical equivalence.

RESULTS: No significant differences between mean V˙O2peak were reported (TM: 1.85 [0.63] vs MFT: 1.81 [0.63] L·min-1; P = .33). Bland-Altman plot for V˙O2peak suggests that the mean values are in good agreement at the group level; that is, the exact 95% confidence limits for the ratio systematic error (0.95-1.02) are within the boundaries of practical equivalence (0.88-1.13) showing that the group average TM and MFT values are interchangeable. However, consideration of the data at the level of the individual athlete suggests that the TM and MFT results were not interchangeable because the 95% ratio limits of agreement either coincide with the boundaries of practical equivalence (upper limit) or fall outside (lower limit).

CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that the MFT provides a suitable test at a group level with this cohort of wheelchair rugby players for the assessment of V˙O2peak (range 0.97-3.64 L·min-1), yet caution is noted for interchangeable use of values between tests for individual players.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1341-1346
Number of pages6
JournalInternational Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance
Volume16
Issue number9
Early online date2 Mar 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank Linda van Vliet for her help during laboratory testing and the Peter Harrison Center for Disability Sport for their support. Appreciation is also extended to all athletes who volunteered to participate in this study. No direct funding was received for this work, other than the support from the corresponding institutions.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Human Kinetics, Inc.

Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • Endurance
  • Fitness testing
  • Paralympic
  • Profiling

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