INFLUENCE OF BIOMECHANICAL ASPECTS OF WHEELCHAIR TOUCH IN PREDISPOSITION TO INJURIES IN WHEELCHAIR RUGBY ATHLETES - A PILOT STUDY

Abstract

Objective: To correlate the biomechanical characteristics of wheelchair touch with pain complaints, history of injuries and physical performance of a high-performance athlete. Materials and Methods: This is a pilot, exploratory study with a quantitative and qualitative approach. A high-performance athlete with complete spinal cord injury was selected from a professional rugby team, and underwent an evaluation, consisting of a physical examination of the injury, characterization of pain and injuries, areas of practice of physical activity, functionality and quality of life , in addition to an unprecedented and filmed displacement test, consisting of 24 meters of linear path divided by a turn, with markings of three, six and ten meters, analyzing spatial variables of upper limb angles through filming and number of touches, in addition to temporal variables such as touches per second, speed and time. Results: The athlete obtained different performance and angular relationships of the shoulder, elbow and neck between the three sprints of the displacement test, obtaining better performance variables in the third sprint. He does not have injuries to the upper limb, but he has pain in the shoulder and proximal arm, in addition to having a good quality of life index and levels of physical activity, but low levels of functional independence. Conclusion: The athlete's pain did not negatively influence his quality of life, but his physical performance and angular spatial relationships, which could be a possible precursor of injuries, through repetitive movements inherent to the sport. Sport has proven to be a great contributor to physical and mental development.

Keywords: Spinal Cord Injuries, Para-Athletes, Biomechanical Phenomena, Physical Functional Performance