Abstract
This unique report contains selected physical and structural characteristics of a female ultramarathon wheelchair road racer. When tested, this 25-year-old athlete weighed 65.6 kilograms, with a height of 171.4 centimetres. The resting heart rate was 57 beats per minute, which rose to a maximum of 161 during a progressive, arm-cranking, maximal work task. Maximum oxygen uptake was 21.0 ml × kg-1× min-1. These values are significant, considering that this individual had traumatic paraplegia at the T-3/T-4 spinal level. She also had slight weakness of the upper extremities. It is suggested that with a graduated and intelligently structured training programme, greatly enhanced endurance capacity can be achieved. With the type of training outlined in this paper, an athlete who performs in a wheelchair can be conditioned to race successfully over distances of 26 to 50 miles.
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Morris, A. A case study of a female ultramarathon wheelchair road user. Spinal Cord 24, 260–264 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.1986.36
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.1986.36