OBJECTIVE: To investigate the longitudinal changes in physical capacity over 20 years in athletes with spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Longitudinal study (20-y follow-up). SETTING: Laboratory setting. PARTICIPANTS: Persons with SCI (N=7). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Maximum oxygen consumption Vo(2)max) measured in 1986-1988 and in 2006. RESULTS: Subjects with SCI maintained stable Vo(2)max in 2006. Six of the 7 continued various wheelchair sports activities, while 1 person quit sports activities 1 year after the baseline study. The latter person showed reduced Vo(2)max by 53%, while 2 persons who continued strenuous wheelchair sports activities showed increased Vo(2)max by 43% and 45% after 20 years. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that physical capacity reflected the level of sports activity in subjects with SCI who maintained sports activities.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the longitudinal changes in physical capacity over 20 years in athletes with spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Longitudinal study (20-y follow-up). SETTING: Laboratory setting. PARTICIPANTS: Persons with SCI (N=7). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Maximum oxygen consumption Vo(2)max) measured in 1986-1988 and in 2006. RESULTS: Subjects with SCI maintained stable Vo(2)max in 2006. Six of the 7 continued various wheelchair sports activities, while 1 person quit sports activities 1 year after the baseline study. The latter person showed reduced Vo(2)max by 53%, while 2 persons who continued strenuous wheelchair sports activities showed increased Vo(2)max by 43% and 45% after 20 years. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that physical capacity reflected the level of sports activity in subjects with SCI who maintained sports activities.