Report

Caffeine improves 20 m sprint and a one-off 4-min push performance in Wheelchair Rugby players

Caffeine can be beneficial during short-term, endurance and repeated sprint (running) performance.

Lead academic:
Dr Terri Graham-Paulson
Additional academics:
Professor Vicky Tolfrey
Funder:
The Peter Harrison Foundation

However, little evidence exists regarding its effects during upper-body exercise and in individuals with a physical impairment

Wheelchair sports such as Rugby, Basketball and Tennis are intermittent in nature and require short bursts of high intensity movements superimposed on a background of aerobic activity. The current study therefore used wheelchair sport field tests to assess the impact of caffeine on both sprint and short-term endurance performance.

Methods

  • 12 male club-level Wheelchair Rugby players (age 30.0±7.7 y, body mass 69.6±15.3 kg and training hours 11.1±3.5 h•wk-1), participated.
  • 7 participants had a cervical level SCI.

Main findings and applications

  • Average 20 m sprint (SPR) times were significantly faster following caffeine during SPR1 and SPR2 (p=0.037 and 0.016, respectively). Total SPR time was also significantly faster during caffeine compared to placebo (p=0.006).
  • Participants covered more distance during the first 4-min PUSH following caffeine (p=0.047) but this ergogenic effect diminished thereafter, indicating that caffeine may impact upon a oneoff effort but not repeated bouts.
  • Felt arousal and ratings of perceived exertion did not differ between trials.
  • Caffeine increased Feeling scores which may have contributed to improved performance.
  • Side-effects were reported by 5 participants, which may indicate that individuals with a physical impairment should initially trial lower doses (1-3 mg∙kg-1).

Reference

Graham-Paulson, T.S., Perret, C., Watson, P. and GooseyTolfrey, V.L. (2015). Improvement in sprint performance in wheelchair sportsmen with caffeine supplementation. International Journal of Sport Physiology and Performance. 11(2): 214-220. DOI: 10.1123/ijspp.2015-0073