Applying Scientific Principles to Enhance Paralympic Classification Now and in the Future

Tweedy, Sean M.; Connick, Mark J.; Beckman, Emma

doi:10.1016/j.pmr.2018.01.010

Cited by 36 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Paralympic sport allow the participation of para‐athletes from ten eligible impairments, but recent literature on evidence‐based classification have considered eligible impairments of HAA as a unique group to explore the relationships between impairment and sports performance. It should be noticed that the absence of valid ratio‐scaled measures of the impairment is currently the most significant barrier to the development of evidence‐based systems of classification and addressing this is the Paralympic Movement's most pressing scientific challenge, especially when combining different eligible impairments. While previous studies have described the ML in CPFP using GPS technology, this is the first study exploring the relationships between activity limitation caused by HAA impairments and performance during real competition.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Activity limitation and match load in para‐footballers with cerebral palsy: An approach for evidence‐based classification

Reina

Iturricastillo

Castillo

et al. 2019

Scandinavian Med Sci Sports

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Classification is a hot topic in Paralympic sport, making the development of evidence‐based and sport‐specific classification systems mandatory. However, the development of measurements for exploring the relationships between the athletes' impairment and their activity limitation is a considerable scientific challenge in team Paralympic sport such as 7‐side football (ie, CP Football). The aims of this study were 1) to describe the activity limitation and external match load (ML) differences among impairment profiles (FT) in international level footballers with cerebral palsy (CPFP) and 2) to analyze the relationship among the activity limitation and external ML variables. Forty‐eight international male CPFP (23 ± 7 y; 174.7 ± 7.2 cm; 69.4 ± 9.2 kg; 22.7 ± 2.6 kg·m−2) participated in this study and were divided according to their impairment profile (FT5/6, FT7, and FT8). Significant differences (P < .05) have been observed among FT profiles in the activity limitation tests (ie, static balance, coordination, vertical jump, horizontal jump, acceleration capacity, and change of direction ability). Additionally, significant differences have been observed among FT profiles in certain ML values (ie, Velmax, High Acc and in Mod and High Dec), where generally, FT8 players reported the best performance values. On the other hand, especially in the FT5/6 and in the FT8 profiles, a large‐to‐very large significant relationship was observed between the CPFP activity limitation and the ML values. In general, the results of the present study show that players with a lower impairment have less activity limitation and better ML. This study concludes that the potential relationships between the impairments of hypertonia, ataxia, or athetosis and performance in this para‐sport might be impairment‐specific.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Activity limitation and match load in para‐footballers with cerebral palsy: An approach for evidence‐based classification

Reina

Iturricastillo

Castillo

et al. 2019

Scandinavian Med Sci Sports

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“…Results from this study confirmed reliability of trunk measurement assessment when players are in their own sport wheelchair. This point is important because it is necessary to take into account sports-specific assessment and players’ adaptations, like wheelchair settings, in evidence-based classification assessment [43]. Probably, this device and software could also be used in different sports like wheelchair racing, wheelchair rugby, wheelchair tennis and other sports where active trunk movement is important when it comes to dividing athletes into different classes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reliability of measurement of active trunk movement in wheelchair basketball players

Marszałek¹,

Molik²

2019

PLoS ONE

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The study aim was to assess the reliability to active trunk movements measurement in four sitting positions in wheelchair basketball players and to check their trunk movements in these positions. Eighteen volunteer wheelchair basketball athletes, with a minimum of five years’ training experience, were asked to perform the maximum range of active trunk movement in three planes in four sitting positions (in a sports wheelchair with straps, without straps, on a table with feet on the floor, on a table without foot support). The range of movement was measured by the Kinect for Windows V2 sensor twice (with one-week interval). To assess the reliability, different statistical methods were used for each movement: significance of differences between the results (p-value), interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and minimal detectable change (MDC). The limits of agreement analysis (LOA) were calculated. Differences between trunk movements in four positions were checked by the MANOVA (Wilk’s Lambda and ETA2 were calculated if data were normally distributed). The significance level was set at α < .05. Friedman ANOVA and non-parametric Wilcoxon test with the Bonferroni correction were applied when data were not normally distributed. The significance level after Bonferroni correction was set at α < .013 (α = p/k, where p = .05, k–number of positions = 4). The measurement of active trunk movement in each plane was reliable (p > .05, no differences between the results, “very good”ICC, between .96-.99). In the position with straps, the trunk movement was significantly bigger than in other positions (p < .05), except for the position without straps (p > .05). The Kinect for Windows V2 sensor measured active trunk movement in a reliable manner and it can be recommended as a reliable tool for measuring trunk function. Utilizing straps by wheelchair basketball players increases their trunk movement.

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“…are among the most difficult to classify in Paralympic sport. 24 The effect of these impairment types on performance in the other cycling disciplines (i.e., not tricycling) is warranted. Note.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bicycling and tricycling road race performance in international UCI events between 2011 and 2019

Borg¹,

Osborne²,

Tweedy³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Purpose: This study described bicycling (C-classes, 1–5) and tricycling (T-classes, 1–2) performance in International Cycling Federation (Union Cycliste Internationale; UCI) road race events between 2011 and 2019. Methods: A total of 3,243 race results (bicycling = 2,571; tricycling = 672) from 33 UCI events held between May 2011 and August 2019 were included in the analysis. Mean race velocity was calculated for each race result. Bicycling and tricycling data were separately modelled using hierarchical regression. Cohen’s d was calculated for the standardised difference between adjacent classes. Results: Road race performance was statistically different between men’s classes C1/C2 (p <.001; d = 0.42), C2/C3 (p <.001; d = 0.47) and C3/C4 (p <.001; d = 0.73). In contrast, performance was not statistically different between men’s C4/C5 (p = .506; d = 0.14), or between all adjacent women’s bicycling classes (p = .050 to .121; d = 0.46 to 1.15). The absence of statistical differences between adjacent women’s bicycling classes may be due to the relatively small number of observations in these classifications. As expected, race performance was statistically different between T1 and T2 for men (p <.001; d = 1.64) and women (p <.001; d = 1.38). Conclusion: Road race performance was hierarchical within the disciplines of bicycling and tricycling, with higher classes characterised by faster mean velocities. However, not all adjacent classes were statistically different. Future research should examine the influence of prosthetic technologies and the impact of different impairments on bicycling and tricycling performance.

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Applying Scientific Principles to Enhance Paralympic Classification Now and in the Future

Cited by 36 publications

References 10 publications

Activity limitation and match load in para‐footballers with cerebral palsy: An approach for evidence‐based classification

Activity limitation and match load in para‐footballers with cerebral palsy: An approach for evidence‐based classification

Reliability of measurement of active trunk movement in wheelchair basketball players

Bicycling and tricycling road race performance in international UCI events between 2011 and 2019

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