Assessment of the upper limbs maximum power and the locomotion speed in amputee football players

Abstract Aim: The purpose of the study was to assess upper limbs' maximum power and locomotion speed among amputee football (amputee soccer) players. Methods: The 30-s Wingate Anaerobic test and the 20-m sprint test were performed. Anthropometric measurements and body composition (Body mass index (BMI), percentage of body fat (% BF), and lean body mass (LBM)) were examined. Results: BMI significantly differentiated forwards and defenders (p < 0.05). Peak power (PP) and mean power (MP) were related to LBM (p < 0.05), thus defenders reached higher values of PP, in comparison to forwards. % BF and BMI were related to relative mean power (rMP) (p < 0.05). Field position differentiated players in terms of upper limbs' relative peak power (rPP) in favour of forwards (p < 0.05). Age was a significant factor for speed velocity on 10 m and 20 m (p < 0.05). There was no relationship between upper limbs' power and locomotion speed. Conclusion: Body composition, especially % BF may influence on the anaerobic performance of amputee football players.

Anaerobic performance among children with spina bifida.

BACKGROUND: Children and adolescents with spina bifida demonstrate less physical activity. Most of them are wheelchair users. It is important to control their physical fitness for instance their anaerobic performance. They need anaerobic performance to daily activities like transfers that require short and high intensity movements. The aim of this study was to assess anaerobic performance among children with spina bifida and to evaluate their results in relation to normative values from able-bodied peers, as well as to find appropriate, easy and feasible field-based tests measuring anaerobic performance of children with spina bifida in non-laboratory settings. METHODS: Ninety-five children and adolescents with spina bifida were divided according to gender and age (four male and four female groups) and performed the 30-second Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT), the handgrip test and the chest pass test. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, the Kruskal-Wallis test, the Mann-Whitney U-test, the Pearson correlation (P<0.05) and Effect Size were applied in this study. RESULTS: Differences in MP, PP, rMP and rPP between age groups were found. A significant and strong correlation of the 30-second WAnT results (MP, PP) with the handgrip test and the chest pass test was found (P<0.01; r>0.7). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, anaerobic performance of children with spina bifida varies depending on the age group and is "very poor" compared to anaerobic performance of their able-bodied peers. The chest pass test may be a good non-laboratory test to be used to indirectly assess anaerobic performance of children with spina bifida.