Perceived Exertion in Small Sided-Games Internal Load Quantification in Wheelchair Basketball Players

Abstract

The present study seeks to analyse the physiological responses, differential perceived exertion and perceived load of wheelchair basketball (WB) players during a small sided games (SSG) and to analyse the existence or not of differences studied variables according to whether or not they have a spinal cord injury and the age of the players. This study makes a total of 128 observations of a single format SSG (4 vs. 4 players with a duration of 4 min). The players with a spinal cord injury obtain a lower mean heart rate (HR _Mean) and a lower peak HR (HR _Peak) in the SSG than players without a spinal cord injury (p < 0.001; ES = 0.9 to 1.1; large). However, players with a spinal cord injury show higher respiratory (RPE _res) and muscular (RPE _mus) perceived exertion than players without a spinal cord injury as well as record a higher respiratory (RPE _res TL) and muscular (RPE _mus TL) load (p < 0.001; ES = -0.7 to -0.8, moderate-large). Related to age groups, the results obtained demonstrate that players < 30 years old obtain higher HR _Mean, HR _Peak, tympanic temperature (p < 0.001; ES = -1.1; high), RPE res, RPE _mus, RPE _res TL and RPE _mus TL (p < 0.001; ES = -0.7 to -0.9; moderate-large) than players > 30 years in the SSG. The impairment (whether they have a spinal cord injury or not) and the age of the players can affect the internal load in a SSG and the perceived exertion method can provide additional information about the load, especially among players with a spinal cord injury.