Validity of the test–table–test for Nordic skiing for classification of paralympic sit-ski sports participants

Pernot, H. F. M.; Lannem, A. M.; Geers, R. P. J.; Ruijters, E. F. G.; Bloemendal, M.; Seelen, H. A. M.

Affiliations

¹Department of Rehabilitation, Laurentius Hospital, Roermond, The Netherlands

²Department of Coaching and Psychology, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, Norway

³Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Nesodden, Norway

⁴Adelante Centre of Expertise in Rehabilitation and Audiology, Hoensbroek, The Netherlands

⁵University Maastricht, Research School CAPHRI, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Maastricht, The Netherlands

Abstract and keywords

Study design: Cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To assess the interrater reliability and validity of the test–table–test (TTT) with which paralympic sports participants involved in Nordic sit-ski sports may be classified.

Setting: Movement laboratory in a rehabilitation centre, The Netherlands.

Methods: Thirty-three persons with a spinal cord injury caudally to Th2, a leg amputation, poliomyelitis affecting the trunk and/or lower extremities, or cerebral palsy participated. Subjects were classified according to a classification system for Nordic skiing (that is, five subclasses between LW10 and LW12) by two raters, involving, among others, a combination of four balance tests called TTT. The validity of the TTT was investigated using a gold standard, involving balance perturbation tests on a force plate and centre of pressure (CoP) displacement measurements.

Results: As for the interrater reliability, Spearman's rank-correlation coefficient was 0.95 (P<0.001). As regards the validity of the TTT, correlation coefficients ranging from 0.61 to 0.74 (P<0.001) were found when comparing the data with the gold standard.

Conclusion: Interrater reliability was high in both scoring and classification. With regard to TTT validity, strong positive correlations between CoP displacement and TTT classification were found. Overall, the results of this study show that the TTT is a reliable and valid test. However, the relations between TTT and CoP displacement in the LW10 and LW10.5 subclasses found in this study are somewhat vague, which could be due to the small number of participants in these subclasses. For the LW10 and LW10.5 subclasses further refinement of the four tests within the TTT is warranted.

Keywords: Nordic skiing; paralympics; classification; sports for disabled; spinal cord injury; leg amputation

Links

DOI: 10.1038/sc.2011.30

PubMed: 21537336

WoS: 000293573000015

History

Received: 2010-08-31

Revised: 2011-03-01

Accepted: 2011-03-06

Online: 2011-05-03

Cited By (3)

Year	Entry
2014	Lappi T. Effect of Sitting Position on Muscle Activation and Force Generation in Simulated Sit-Ski Double Poling and on Balance Perturbation Test [Master's thesis]. Jyväskylä, Finland: University of Jyväskylä; 2014.
2015	Rapp W, Lappi T, Lindinger S, Ohtonen O, Linnamo V. Force production, balance control and muscle activation in different sitting positions: pilot study for disabled sit sledge cross-country skiers. In: Müller E, Kröll J, Lindinger S, Pfusterschmied J, Stöggl T, eds. Science and Skiing VI. 6th International Congress on Science and Skiing; December 2013; Tyrol, Austria. Meyer & Meyer Sport Ltd; 2015:453-464.
2013	Bernardi M, Janssen T, Bortolan L, Pellegrini B, Fischer G, Schena F. Kinematics of cross-country sit skiing during a Paralympic race. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. February 2013;23(1):94-101.