The comparison and assessment of wheelchair basketball players and amputee soccer players in upper extremity on physical fitness

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a relationship between upper extremity physical fitness of wheelchair basketball athletes and amputee soccer players. Material and Method: 47 male athletes with a mean age of 27.97 were included in the study. The demographic information of the athletes who participated in our study was obtained. Physical fitness criteria were selected by simple random sampling method. Body composition, flexibility, strength and reaction time were measured. The normality tests of these data were investigated. Statistical significance was analyzed using T-test with significance level p<0.05. Results: No significant difference was found between the two branches in terms of physical fitness criteria. The mean values of body mass index were 24.25±3.53 and p=0.35. The mean values of left shoulder elasticity were 1.48±4.39 and p=0.72, right shoulder were 3.26±4.39 and p=0.84. The mean values of right hand grip strength were 40.32±6.05 and p=0.55, left hand were 39.02±6.02. The mean values of left hand visual reaction time were 0.11±0.02 and p=0.16, Right hand were 0.10±0.01 and p=0.72. Conclusion: As a result of the research data, it was seen that amputee soccer athletes had better grades in terms of body mass index, left-right shoulder flexibility and right hand reaction time values. Equality was observed in the left hand and wheelchair basketball athletes had better values in terms of grip strength in both hands. As the use of crutches in amputee soccer sport is at a high level, it has been seen that this branch carries a step forward in physical fitness values. Key Words: Amputee Soccer, Physical Fitness, Sport in Disabled Individuals, Upper Extremity, Wheelchair Basketball.