Abstract

We investigated the cardiorespiratory responses to progressive incremental arm cranking (AC) and wheelchair ergometry (WCE) and upper limb strength in 72 elite male and female physically disabled athletes. Peak VO2 in the two tests increased progressively in athletes categorized according to the international classification of disability. Mean peak VO2 (ml/min/kg +/- 1 SD) for males during AC was 13.4 +/- 3.1 in classes 1A and 1B, 23.0 +/- 5.9 in class 2, 28.0 +/- 6.2 in class 3, 31.0 +/- 6.6 in class 4, and 37.7 +/- 4.5 in class 5, with similar mean peak VO2 during WCE in each class, 14.8 +/- 4.9, 22.0 +/- 5.2, 27.8 +/- 6.4, 31.2 +/- 7.6 and 36.1 +/- 4.7, respectively. The female paraplegics had significantly lower values for peak VO2 during WCE than AC. The increments in VO2 were similar during the AC test and the WCE test. Maximal ventilation and heart rates were higher in paraplegic than tetraplegic athletes. We concluded that the international classification discriminates well among athletes with different degrees of impairment and provides incentives for improved performance through training. However, the greater capacity of tetraplegic athletes disabled bypoliomyelitis than by trauma to the spinal cord may indicate the need for separate categories in class 1 athletes. Verf.-Referat