How does classification score affect falls in wheelchair basketball? A video-based cross-sectional study on the Italian national team during the European Para Championships 2023

Giacomo Farì; Francesco Quarta; Sara Clelia Longo; Laura Masiero; Vincenzo Ricci; Daniele Coraci; Laura Caforio; Marisa Megna; Maurizio Ranieri; Giustino Varrassi; Andrea Bernetti

doi:10.1016/j.ptsp.2024.03.006

How does classification score affect falls in wheelchair basketball? A video-based cross-sectional study on the Italian national team during the European Para Championships 2023

Phys Ther Sport. 2024 Apr 9:67:77-82. doi: 10.1016/j.ptsp.2024.03.006. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Technologies (Di.S.Te.B.A.), University of Salento, Lecce, Italy; Italian Wheelchair Basketball Federation (Federazione Italiana Pallacanestro in Carrozzina, FIPIC, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: dr.giacomofari@gmail.com.
² Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Technologies (Di.S.Te.B.A.), University of Salento, Lecce, Italy.
³ Section of Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
⁴ Department of Statistical Science, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
⁵ Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Unit, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Science, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute, Bologna, Italy.
⁶ Department of Neuroscience, Section of Rehabilitation, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
⁷ Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience (DiBraiN), Aldo Moro University, Bari, Italy.
⁸ Department of Pain Medicine, Paolo Procacci Foundation, Rome, Italy.

PMID: 38614046
DOI: 10.1016/j.ptsp.2024.03.006

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of falls in male elite wheelchair basketball (WB) players and to analyse the falls characteristics considering their classification score which ranges from 1.0 to 4.5 and it is related to their functional capacity and particularly to their volume of action.

Design: A cross-sectional video analysis was conducted using European para championships 2023official match videos.

Setting: Players of the sample team were divided into 2 groups according to their classification point: low-point players (LPP) and high-point players (HPP). Every occurred fall was systematically analysed focusing on falling related characteristics and game circumstances.

Participants: Twelve WB players of the Italian national team.

Main outcome: Number of falls and mechanism of falls.

Results: The results showed a higher number of falls for HPP and highlighted a statistically significant differences between LPP and HPP for the fall direction, the playing time and the first anatomical site in contact with the floor.

Conclusion: Results reported significant differences between LPP and HPP in terms of mechanism of fall. Further studies should focus on the development of new preventive training strategies tailored to WB players with different levels of impairments to reduce fall related injuries.

Keywords: Paralympic games; Sport injuries; Training; Wheelchair basketball.