European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 17, 6 (2024) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2024.003

Validity and reliability of field tests to assess performance of wheelchair rugby athletes: A preliminary study

Sonja De Groot1,2,3, Laurie A. Malone4*, Susan R. Wilbanks5,, Thomas W. J. Janssen1,2,3,, C. Scott Bickel6
1 Amsterdam Rehabilitation Research Center | Reade, The Netherlands
2 Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands
3 Center for Adapted Sports Amsterdam, Amsterdam Institute of Sport Science, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
4 University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Occupational Therapy, Birmingham, AL, USA
5 Concordia University Wisconsin, Department of Occupational Therapy, Mequon, WI, USA
6 Samford University, Department of Physical Therapy, Birmingham, AL, USA

Quality field tests of athletic performance are important tools for coaches and athletes to evaluate athlete capabilities and changes over time. Current field tests for wheelchair rugby have not been well evaluated. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of five wheelchair rugby field tests (ball passing, two sprint tests, two agility tests). Wheelchair rugby players (n = 12) performed the field tests on 2 occasions, separated by 2 weeks, and performed a maximal isokinetic upper-extremity strength test (shoulder flexors and extensors). Spearman correlation was used to examine the relationship among the different field tests as well as to study the relationship with upper-extremity strength and athlete classification. Field test scores were evaluated for reliability across time with intraclass correlation (ICC) and the smallest detectable differences were determined. All tests, except passing, were highly correlated with each other (ρ > 0.85). Test-retest reliability (ICC) ranged between 0.89 – 0.99. Only the long sprint clockwise showed a good correlation with average upper-extremity force production (ρ > 0.75). All wheeling field tests had moderate to excellent correlation with athlete classification (ρ = 0.75 – 0.90). Based on these results, these wheelchair rugby field tests were deemed reliable and have discriminative validity (based on classification), though it may not be necessary to perform all tests to gauge an athlete’s overall rugby skill level. Although the results are promising, a full validation should be conducted with a larger sample size.

Keywords: disability sport; quad rugby; physical disability; skills testing; athletic performance

Received: June 2, 2021; Revised: February 21, 2024; Accepted: March 29, 2024; Published online: June 10, 2024  Show citation

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De Groot, S., Malone, L.A., Wilbanks, S.R., Janssen, T.W.J., & Scott Bickel, C. (2024). Validity and reliability of field tests to assess performance of wheelchair rugby athletes: A preliminary study. European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity, 17, Article 6. https://doi.org/10.5507/euj.2024.003
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