Responses to wheelchair basketball game play: The physiological demands, perceptual responses and impacts of wheelchair basketball game play on subsequent physical performance

It remains unclear whether there are differences in the physiological demands and perceptual responses of high and low classification wheelchair basketball (WCB) players, or what impact WCB game play has on muscle damage and subsequent physical performance in these athletes. The physiological demands (peak heart rate, relative exercise intensity, and metabolic and thermoregulatory responses) and perceptual responses (ratings of perceived exertion, thermal comfort, muscle soreness and perceived recovery) of six athletes (n = 6; 27 ± 3 yr) with physical disabilities were recorded during 40-mins of WCB game play. The WCB players were divided into high (2 spinal cord injuries (SCI), 1 spina bifida (SB)) and low classification (1 SCI, 1 cerebral palsy (CP), 1 SB) groups. The impact of WCB game play on muscle damage and subsequent performance was also measured. Relative exercise intensity (REI) was significantly greater for the high classification group (U = 0, p = 0.05) with the same cohort displaying a tendency to rate muscle soreness higher (U = 0.5, p = 0.07). WCB game play resulted in high but non-significant levels of muscle damage and decreases in post-game performance in both cohorts. This study highlighted wide variations within and between groups, suggesting that recovery interventions need to be modified to suit individual needs. Future research is needed to investigate interventions that are specific to the individual or group needs of high and low classification WCB players.