Perceived exertion responses to wheelchair propulsion differ between novice able-bodied and trained wheelchair sportspeople.

Objectives: To investigate peripheral (RPE) and central (RPE) Ratings of Perceived Exertion during wheelchair propulsion in untrained able-bodied (AB) participants, and trained wheelchair rugby athletes with and without cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI).

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: 38 participants (AB: n=20; wheelchair rugby athletes with CSCI: n=9; without CSCI: n=9) completed an incremental wheelchair propulsion test to exhaustion on a motorised treadmill. Gas exchange measures and heart rate (HR) were collected throughout. RPE and RPE on the Category Ratio-10 were verbally recorded each minute. Blood lactate concentration ([BLa]) was determined post-test.

Results: Between 50-100% peak oxygen uptake (V̇O), RPE was greater than RPE in AB (p<0.05), but not in athletes with (p=0.07) or without (p=0.16) CSCI. RPE was greater in AB compared to players with CSCI (Effect sizes: 1.24-1.62), as were respiratory exchange ratio (1.02±0.10 vs 0.82±0.11, p<0.05) and [BLa] (7.98±2.53 vs 4.66±1.57mmol·L). RPE was greater in athletes without CSCI compared to those with CSCI (Effect sizes: 0.70-1.38), as were HR (166±20 vs 104±15 beats·min, p<0.05) and ventilation (59.2±28.8 vs 35.1±16.6L·min, p=0.01).

Conclusions: RPE was dominant over RPE during wheelchair propulsion for untrained AB participants. For athletes with CSCI, lower RPE and RPE were reported at the same %V̇O compared to those without CSCI. The mechanism for this remains to be fully elucidated.