Propulsion Kinematics Matter: Improving Sprint Performance in Collegiate Wheelchair Basketball Athletes

Despite the recognized importance of trunk and upper-extremity mechanics in wheelchair basketball sprinting, factors driving performance remain incompletely understood. We examined 55 collegiate athletes from the National Wheelchair Basketball Association who completed three 20-m and change-of-direction sprints while inertial sensors captured sprint kinematics across key phases. Athletes were classified on a 1.0 to 4.5 functional scale, where lower scores indicate less function and higher scores indicate greater function. Analyses focused on the first (initiation), third (transition), and fifth (maintenance) pushes. Faster 20-m sprint performance was associated with negative trunk displacement during the first push, greater right push length during the fifth push, and more years of collegiate experience, collectively explaining over 40% of sprint-time variance. For change-of-direction sprints, greater nonpivot shoulder displacement during the third push was the strongest predictor of faster performance. Notably, athlete classification was not associated with sprint outcomes, suggesting athletes develop compensatory movement strategies to achieve competitive speeds regardless of classification. These findings emphasize the importance of phase-specific biomechanical strategies, including trunk extension during acceleration, maximizing push length at higher speeds, and optimizing shoulder mechanics following directional changes. The results provide actionable insights for coaches and athletes seeking to enhance wheelchair basketball sprint performance.