Adaptation of maximal aerobic and anaerobic tests for disabled swimmers

The purpose of the present study was to submit disabled swimmers to two maximal swimming tests, and by comparing the physiological and performance responses of disabled and normal swimmers to determine if these adapted tests can be used to design training programmes for this particular class of swimmer. Two groups of disabled (n = 8 and 6) and two groups of normal competitive swimmers (n = 9 and 13) were respectively submitted to a functional maximal aerobic power test (FMAPT) and a maximal anaerobic lactic test (MANLT). For the disabled, the FMAPT included a slower initial speed and a slower increase in swimming speeds. In the maximal aerobic test, exercise duration, peak heart rate, and the maximal speed relative to the respective best time of a 100-m race [55.5 (SD 3.9) compared to 56.5 (SD 2.8)%] were not significantly different between the disabled and normal swimmers. Peak lactate concentration was, however, higher in the disabled swimmers [10.8 (SD 3.5) compared to 6.8 (SD 1.6)mmol.l-1]. In the MNALT, peak lactate concentration [14.3 (SD 4) compared to 16.8 (SD 1.9)mmol.l-1], and the maximal speed relative to the respective best time in a 100-m race [99.1 (SD 3.2) compared to 98.3 (SD 2.5)%] were not significantly different between the disabled and normal swimmers. These results would seem to indicate that functional maximal aerobic and anaerobic field tests could be used to evaluate and design training programmes for disabled competitive swimmers.