Impact of Wheelchair Rugby on Body Composition of Subjects With Tetraplegia: A Pilot Study

• WR training improves body composition profile by increasing lean mass (muscle) in the arms and by decreasing FM in the whole body.
• WR training may be a useful approach to promote a more favorable metabolic profile in subjects with SCI.

ObjectiveTo investigate the longitudinal effects of wheelchair rugby (WR) training on body composition of subjects with tetraplegia.DesignSubjects were evaluated at baseline and after WR training.SettingFaculty of physical education settings.ParticipantsIndividuals with tetraplegia (N=13; age, 26.6±6.0y).InterventionsFour sessions per week of WR training composed by aerobic and anaerobic activities and technical and tactical aspects of WR. The average time of intervention was 8.1±2.5 months.Main Outcome MeasuresBody composition assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.ResultsAfter training, fat mass was significantly reduced in the whole body (15,191±4603 vs 13,212±3318g, P=.016), trunk (7058±2639 vs 5693±1498g, P=.012), and legs (2847±817 vs 2534±742g, P=.003). Conversely, increased bone mineral content (183±35 vs 195±32g, P=.01) and fat-free mass (2991±549 vs 3332±602g, P=.016) in the arms and reduced bone mineral content in the trunk (553±82 vs 521±86g, P=.034) were observed after training. Furthermore, no significant correlation between the duration of training and changes in body composition was detected.ConclusionsRegular WR training increased lean mass and bone mineral content in the arms and decreased total body fat mass. Conversely, WR training was associated with decreased bone mineral content in the trunk. These results suggest that regular WR training improves body composition in subjects with tetraplegia.