Pulmonary function and anthropometric variables of Brazilian wheelchair soccer players

Abstract

Introduction: Wheelchair Power Soccer (WPS) is one of the most important modalities aimed at people with physical disabilities, specifically those who are users of motorized wheelchairs, thus enabling a dynamic sports experience. Although the number of WPS practitioners has been growing over the years, the modality still presents little information about the characteristics of athletes, whether anthropometric variables and information about lung capacity, which allow to know more about athletes and their particularities within this modality. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe and correlate anthropometric and pulmonary function variables of a Brazilian sample of WPS players. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 26 WPS athletes (28.3±11.0 years old) representing five Brazilian teams in the National Championship. The following anthropometric measurements were performed: weight; height; perimeters of abdominal, inspired and expired chest, and relaxed and contracted arm; and triceps skinfold thickness. Arm muscle circumference (AMC) was calculated to estimate muscle mass. Pulmonary function was assessed with a portable spirometer, and the following parameters were used for analysis: forced vital capacity (FVC); forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1); and FEV1/FVC ratio. Peak cough flow (PCF) was measured in the sitting position using a peak flow meter. Descriptive analyses were presented as mean and standard deviation for continuous variables, and as relative frequency for qualitative variables. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was calculated to assess correlations between anthropometric and pulmonary variables (α=5%; SPSS 17.0). Results: A total of 53.8% (N=14) had the abdominal perimeter classified as cardiovascular risk. Seventy-three percent (N=19) of the participants had arm muscle circumference classified as malnutrition. Mean measured FVC and FEV1 respectively corresponded to 73.5±53.0% and 69.5±44.8% of predicted values. In the PCF analysis, 15.3% (N=4) were classified as needing to start a program of cough support techniques, and 7.7% (N=2) as having an inability to protect the airways through coughing. On both FEV1/FVC ratio and PCF, the mean value of the group was in the normal range. The correlations observed between the pulmonary function and anthropometric variables were: (a) FVC and AMC (r=0.47; P=0.027), relaxed arm perimeter (r=0.48; P=0.021), contracted arm perimeter (r=0.49; P=0.024), inspired chest perimeter (r=0.41; P=0.049); (b) PCF and Δ arm perimeter (r=0.61; P=0.005), inspired chest perimeter (r=0.45; P=0.034), and expired chest perimeter (r=0.46; P=0.030). Conclusion: Most Brazilian WPS players had FVC and FEV1 ratio below the predicted values, but FEV1/FVC and PCF in the normal range, characterizing a restrictive ventilatory disorder. For more than half of the study participants, abdominal perimeter indicated increased cardiovascular risk and AMC malnutrition.