Contributions of selected fundamental factors to wheelchair basketball performance

The purpose of this study was to determine the contributions of selected fundamental factors, such as arm length, sitting height, simple vision reaction time (SVRT), choice vision reaction time (CVRT), muscle strength, and range of motion (ROM) at the shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints to wheelchair basketball (WCB) performance as measured by season statistics and coaches' evaluation.

Thirty-seven Paralympic WCB players from seven countries participated in this study. A computerized reaction time system was used to test the SVRT and CVRT. The ROM and muscle strengths of the shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints were measured using a goniometer and MP DA100B BioPac force measurement system, respectively. Stepwise regression analysis was used to identify the contributions of these fundamental factors and "dimensional variables" (DV) derived from the selected factors fundamental to WCB performance. A DV represented a dimension or category of the factor, for example, the wrist flexion/extension DV represented the ROM of the wrist in flexion and extension, and the WCB performance DV represented average points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals per game.

The results of this study demonstrated that elbow extension and wrist extension had significant contributions to average points. Sitting height, shoulder internal rotation, and elbow flexion had significant contributions to the average rebounds. Arm length had a significant contribution to average assists, and SVRT had a significant contribution to the average blocks. Wrist flexion/extension ROM DV and wrist flexion/extension strength DV had significant contributions to the WCB performance DV.

Shoulder internal rotation, elbow extension, and wrist flexion/extension ROM, CVRT, and wrist flexion/extension muscle strength are important to WCB performance and should be addressed in WCB training.