Differences in Grip Strength among Wheelchair Basketball Athletes: Variations by Hand Size and Handrim-Tire Diameter
Keywords:
Hand size, Wheelchair basketball, Handrim, Handrim-tire distance, Grip strengthAbstract
Wheelchair basketball is a popular sport for people with disabilities. Movement skills during competition require a suitable grip with the wheelchair wheels. An inappropriate handgrip may reduce performance. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of 3 handrim-tire diameters on the handgrip strength in 3 hand sizes of wheelchair basketball athletes. Seventy-one wheelchair basketball athletes, 20-40 years old, with a Functions Determining Classification level of 1.0-4.5, and who have played wheelchair basketball for more than 1 year, were divided into 3 hand size groups; small (£180 mm.), medium (190-200 mm.), and large (³230 mm.). Handgrip strength, local perceived discomfort, and comfort questionnaire for using hand tools were recorded for 3 handrim-tire diameters; 63 mm., 67 mm., and 71 mm. Descriptive data analysis and two-ways mixed-model ANOVA were used to analyze the data, including a posthoc analysis with Tukey's test. The highest grip strength for small, medium, and large hands was found for handrim sizes of 63, 67, and 71 mm., respectively. Grip strength for medium hand size was significantly higher when compared to small hand size in 3 handrim-tire diameters (p<0.01, p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). Large hand size was significantly higher when compared to small hand size in handrim-tire 67 mm. (p<0.001) and 71 mm. (p<0.001). High discomfort was found for the following: small hand size with handrim-tire 67 and 71 mm., medium hand size with handrim-tire 63 mm., and large hand size with handrim-tire 63 and 67 mm. Handgrip strength and hand discomfort in each hand size were correlated to handrim-tire diameter.
References
[2] IWBF. Official Wheelchair Basketball Rules. As approved by International Wheelchair Basketball Federation Executive Council. 2014.
[3] Barfield JP, Malone LA, Collins JM, Ruble SB. Disability type influences heart rate response during power wheelchair sport. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 2005; 37(5): 718-723.
[4] Michelle L. Sporner, Garrett G. Grindle, Annmarie Kelleher, Emily E. Teodorski, Rosemarie Cooper, and Rony A. Cooper. Quantification of activity during wheelchair basketball and rugby at the Natanal Veterans Wheelchair Games : A pilot study. Prosthetics and Orthotics International 2009; 33(3): 210-217.
[5] Fernanda Moraes Rocco, Elizabete Tsubomi Saito. Epidemiology of sportive injuries in basketball wheelchair players. ACTA FISIATR 2006; 13(1): 17-20.
[6] Emily Churton and Justin WL Keogh. Constraints influencing sports wheelchair propulsion performance and injury risk. Sports Medicine, Arthroscopy. Rehabilitation, Therapy & Technology 2013; 5:3.
[7] Curtis KA, Black K. Shoulder pain in female wheelchair basketball players. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1999; 29(4): 225-31.
[8] Newsam, C.J., Rao, S.S., Mulroy, S.J., Gronley, J.K., Bontrager, E.L., Perry, J. Three dimensional upper extremity motion during manual wheelchair propulsion in men with different levels of spinal cord injury. Gait Posture 1999; 10: 223–232.
[9] Masse, L.C., Lamontagne, M., O'Riain, M.D. Biomechanical analysis of wheelchair propulsion for various seating positions. J. Rehabil. Res. Dev 1992; 29: 12–28.
[10] Linden van der ML, Valent L, Veeger HEJ & Woude van der LHV. The effect of wheelchair handrim tube diameter on propulsion efficiency and force application. IEEE Transactions on Rehabilitation Engineering 1996; 4: 123-132.
[11] Koontz AM, Yang Y, Boninger DS, Kanaly J, Cooper RA, Boninger ML, Dieruf K & Ewer L. Investigation of the performance of an ergonomic handrim as a pain-relieving intervention for manual wheelchair users. Assistive Technology 2006; 18: 123-143.
[12] Dieruf K, Ewer L & Boninger D. The natural-fit handrim: factors related to improvement in symptoms and function in wheelchair users. Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine 2008; 31: 571-585.
[13] Woude van der LHV, Formanoy M & Groot de S. Hand rim configuration: effects on physical strain and technique in unimpaired subjects?. Medical Engineering & Physics 2003; 25: 765-774.
[14] National Aeronautic and Space Administration. Anthropometry and biomechanics 2000; 274: 121-128.
[15] Kuijt-Evers L.F.M., J. Twisk, L. Groenesteijn, M.P. De Looze And P. Vink. Identifying predictors of comfort and discomfort in using hand tools.ergonomics 2005; 48(6): 692-702.
[16] Donald A. Neumann. Kinesiology of the musculoskeletal system-E-book: foundations for rehabilitation, 3rd ed. Elsevier, St. Louis, Missouri, 2017.
[17] Curtis KA, Dillon DA. Survey of wheelchair athletic injuries: Common patterns and prevention. Paraplegia 1985; 23: 170-175.
