Aerobic capacity and anaerobic threshold of wheelchair basketball players

This study evaluated the aerobic capacity and anaerobic threshold of national level Israeli wheelchair basketball players. Subjects were tested working on a wheelchair rolling on a motor driven treadmill and on an arm cycle ergometer. Metabolic and cardiopulmonary parameters were measured during graded maximal exercise tests. Blood lactic acid (LA) concentration was measured in the intervals between loads during the test on the wheelchair. Heart rate (HR) and % heart rate reserve (%HRR) corresponding to the anaerobic threshold (4 mM blood LA) were evaluated while working on the wheelchair rolling on a motor driven treadmill. While working on the wheelchair the following peak exercise values were obtained: VO2 = 24.7 ml.kg/min, VE = 92.09 l/min HR = 181.5 b/min and R = 1.22. Values corresponding to the anaerobic threshold were found to be, HR = 139 b/min and %HRR = 57.02. Low correlations were obtained between peak exercise VO2 and VE measured while working on the wheelchair and those measured with arm cycle ergometer (r = 0.57 p = 0.137 and r = 0.4 p = 0.233 respectively). As athletes, subjects in the present study may be classified as having a low aerobic capacity and anaerobic threshold. It is also concluded that the ergometer type may have an important influence on test results.