Maximal lactate steady state in T53/54 wheelchair racing

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Exercise Physiology
• Disability Sports

Background:

• Maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) is crucial for assessing endurance and training prescription.
• Existing MLSS values are based on non-disabled individuals and may not apply to wheelchair racers.
• This study investigates MLSS blood lactate concentration (BLC) and workload in T53/54 wheelchair racers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the BLC at MLSS for elite T53/54 wheelchair racers.
• To assess the corresponding workload at MLSS for these athletes.
• To evaluate the validity of using a fixed BLC for MLSS workload calculation in wheelchair racing.

Main Methods:

• Nine elite T53/54 wheelchair racers participated.
• Tests included a 1,500-m simulation, an incremental test, and multiple 30-min constant load tests on a 400-m track.
• Measurements included earlobe BLC, heart rate, and velocity, with MLSS defined by BLC increase ≤ 1.0 mM over the final 20 minutes.

Main Results:

• The average BLC at MLSS was 5.3 ± 1.1 mM.
• MLSS velocity was significantly higher than incremental test velocity at 4 mM BLC (P < 0.05).
• MLSS occurred at ~80.6% of maximal workload with a rating of perceived exertion (RPE) of 13.

Conclusions:

• A BLC of 5.3 mM is a more accurate group estimate for MLSS in wheelchair racers than the 4 mM threshold used for non-disabled individuals.
• This intensity, ~80.6% of maximal workload and RPE 13, offers a sport-specific training prescription method.
• The findings provide valuable data for optimizing training programs for T53/54 wheelchair athletes.