Report

Teach your athletes how to breathe – It may be important for wheelchair racing performance

The relationship between locomotor-respiratory coupling (the ratio between push and breathing frequency), respiratory parameters and work efficiency is not known in wheelchair athletes. This study aimed to gain further insights into the interplay between respiration and performance.

Lead academic:
Professor Vicky Tolfrey
Additional academics:
Dr Christof Leicht
Funder:
The Peter Harrison Foundation

In wheelchair racing, respiratory muscles of the ribcage are also involved in non-ventilatory functions– they help stabilise the body and are therefore an important part of the push performance.

Methods

  • 8 trained and experienced Wheelchair Racers completed 3 time-trials over the distances of 400, 800 and 5000 m on a roller system. During the time trials, we measured ventilatory and gas exchange variables as well as push frequency

Main findings and applications

  • 4 different coupling ratios were identified, namely 1:1 (one push for every breath taken); 2:1, 3:1 as well as a 1:1/2:1 alternating type, respectively.
  • The 1:1/2:1 alternating coupling type was found predominantly during the 400 m time-trial. Longer race distances tended to result in an increased coupling ratio (e.g., from 1:1 toward 2:1), and a more efficient respiration was found over the 5000 m distance (“deeper breaths”, resulting in reduced work of breathing).
  • These findings suggest that a higher coupling ratio indicates enhanced breathing work efficiency with a concomitant deeper and slower respiration. The selection of an appropriate coupling strategy may help to enhance Wheelchair Racing performance.

Reference

Perret, C., Wenger, M, Leicht, C. and Goosey-Tolfrey, V.L. (2016). Locomotor-respiratory coupling in wheelchair racing athletes: a pilot study. Frontiers in Physiology. 7: 11. DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2016.00011