Pulmonary function changes in wheelchair athletes subsequent to exercise training

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Abstract
The purpose of this investigation was to determine the pulmonary function and aerobic fitness of wheelchair athletes and assess changes in these values subsequent to an upper-body interval training programme (ITP). Eight male members of the United States national collegiate champion wheelchair basketball team were tested prior to and after an 8 week ITP. Each subject trained (30 min; 3 times per week) on a wheelchair ergometer (WERG) at a power output which would elicit 80% of maximum HR reserve. Before and after training, measurements were obtained at rest, during WERG exercise at 10,20 and 30 W, and during maximal exercise. Static lung volumes and timed forced expiratory volumes measured by spirometry were unchanged by training. Submaximal exercise pulmonary ventilation and oxygen uptake values were similar before and after training, but maximal exercise ventilation (KEmax) increased from 100 to 1311 min−1. In addition, the ratio of KEmax to maximum voluntary ventilation (12s) increased significantly from 52 to 69% after the ITP. Peak oxygen uptake increased by 26% from the pre-training value of 2191 min−1. These results suggest that, although lung volumes are not changed, upper-body endurance training for wheelchair athletes can significantly improve aerobic fitness and increase the level of pulmonary ventilation attainable during maximal exercise.

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