Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/11704
Title: Effects of abdominal binding on field-based exercise responses in Paralympic athletes with cervical spinal cord injury
Authors: West, CR
Campbell, IG
Goosey-Tolfrey, VL
Mason, BS
Romer, LM
Keywords: Biomechanics;Exercise physiology;Tetraplegic;Upper body exercise;Wheelchair rugby;Testing
Issue Date: 2014
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Citation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 17 (4), pp. 351 - 355, (2014)
Abstract: Abdominal binding has been shown to improve resting cardiorespiratory function in individuals with cervical SCI, but it is not yet clear whether this approach improves the exercise response. Objectives: To determine the effects of abdominal binding on parameters relating to wheelchair sports performance in highly-trained athletes with cervical SCI. Design: Repeated-measures field-based study. Methods: Ten Paralympic wheelchair rugby players with motor-complete SCI (C5–C7) completed a series of exercise tests in two conditions (bound and unbound). The following parameters were assessed: agility and acceleration/deceleration performance; cardiorespiratory function and gross efficiency during sub-maximal wheelchair propulsion; anaerobic performance and propulsion kinematics during a 30 s Wingate test; repeated sprint performance during a 10 × 20 m test; and aerobic performance during a repeated4 min push test. Results: Compared to unbound, 6 of 17 field-based performance measures changed significantly with binding. Time to complete the acceleration/deceleration test decreased (p = 0.005), whereas distances covered during the repeated 4 min push test increased (p < 0.043). Binding elicited significant reductions in minute ventilation during submaximal wheelchair propulsion (p = 0.040) as well as blood lactate accu-mulation and limb discomfort during the second set of the repeated 4 min push test (p = 0.012 and 0.022).There were no statistically significant effects of binding on any other variable. Conclusions: Abdominal binding improves some important measures of field-based performance in highly-trained athletes with cervical SCI. The changes may be attributable, at least in part, to improvements in trunk stability, ventilatory efficiency and/or haemodynamics.
URI: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S144024401300145X
http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/11704
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2013.06.001
Appears in Collections:Dept of Life Sciences Research Papers

Files in This Item:
There are no files associated with this item.


Items in BURA are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.