Abstract
This study investigates the arm strength and function of people with tetraplegia, specifically in relation to wheelchair rugby athletes and their in game classification level. Four groups of individuals were assessed; able-bodied participants, individuals with natural triceps function, those with limited or no triceps function, and people who had undergone a deltoid-to-triceps assistive surgery. This research seeks to improve understanding the range of muscle function impairment in people with tetraplegia, and to provide insight into the effects of the deltoid-to-triceps procedure on muscle function. It is hoped that these results will aid in the classification process for wheelchair rugby athletes. 16 athletes were tested, and individual force maps were created demonstrating the magnitude and location of high arm strength areas around the body. Results showed that the able-bodied group reached the highest maximum applied force, followed by natural triceps, no triceps, and then the deltoid-triceps group. The results from the no triceps and deltoid-triceps groups showed areas of overlap, indicating a similar function level. It is recommended that the push test be used to aid athlete assessments along with the wheelchair rugby classification process.