Evaluations of physical fitness and efficiency to wheelchair propulsion are common in rehabilitation center. The multistage field test (MFT) was developed for wheelchair users and predicts the peak value of oxygen consumption  , independently of their impairment [1Vanderthommen M., y al. A multistage field test of wheelchair users for evaluation of fitness and prediction of peak oxygen consumption J Rehab Res Dev 2002 ;  39 (6) : 685-692

Haga clic aquí para ir a la sección de Referencias]. In an earlier study, we did not find significant difference between VO₂peak estimated by the Vanderthommen's formula and measured VO₂peak [2Weissland T., y al. Effects of modified multistage field test on performance and physiological responses in wheelchair basketball players BioMed Res Intern 2015 ; 10.1155/2015/245378

Haga clic aquí para ir a la sección de Referencias] of trained wheelchair basketball players.

Comparatively to wheelchair basketball, the athlete's cardio-respiratory and muscular limitations are greater higher in wheelchair rugby. Thus, the objective of this study was to compare the measured   with ambulatory analyzer with its predicted value according the MFT score. Twelve elite wheelchair rugby players (all are members in French team, 6.1±2.1years training duration, 1.7±0.9 points according to international classification) performed MFT in their competitive wheelchair.   were measured with a Metamax 3B ambulatory system and also calculated from the end-MFT scores.

A significant correlation between both   values was found (r=0.96; R²=0.91; P<0.0001) and no significant difference between   values measured and estimated (28.7±13.6 vs. 27.9±3.4mL/min/kg; P=0.66). Bland–Altman plot revealed a poor agreement [–21.6 to 20.1 in mL/min/kg] (mean bias of –0.79, i. e., 72%) between both   values. Player classification was significantly correlated with   measured (r=0.87, R²=0.75; P<0.0001).

Players ranked to high and low limits of the international classification (close to 1 or 3 points) have predicted   outside of the 95% limits of Bland–Altman plot agreement. The different etiologies presented in the population (tetraplegia, amputee, cerebral palsy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease) can explain the magnitude of the cardiorespiratory responses. Considering these limitations, with no technical equipment, MFT provides an estimate of physical fitness to elite wheelchair players.