Effects of Upper-Extremity Heat Stress Combined with Resistance Training on Skill and Basal Fitness, Isokinetic Muscle Strength, and Anabolic Hormones in Wheelchair Rugby Athletes with Spinal Cord Injury
Investigates muscle strength and hormone responses to heat stress and resistance training in athletes with spinal cord injury, indicating potential training benefits.
Key Points
To assess the impact of upper-extremity heat stress combined with resistance training on various fitness metrics in wheelchair rugby athletes with spinal cord injury.
Conducted a 10-week upper-extremity resistance training program with two groups: one with heat stress and one without.
Applied upper-extremity heat stress using steam-generating thermal sheets three times per week for one group.
Measured outcomes including muscle strength, skill performance, and anabolic hormones before and after the intervention.
Utilized non-parametric statistical methods for data analysis.
The heat stress combined group showed significant increases in skeletal muscle mass and isokinetic elbow joint strength.
Growth hormone levels significantly increased in the heat stress combined group; insulin-like growth factor showed marginal improvement.
Both groups improved in 28 m shuttle sprint and one-hand throw, but the heat stress group had greater improvement in the 20 m sprint.
No significant changes were observed in body mass index or body fat percentage.