Monitoring the Internal Training Load and Surrogate Measures in a Senior Female Paralympic Athlete with Spinal Cord Injury: A Case Study

Abstract

Purpose: Paralympic Games were started originally for therapeutic reasons; nowadays they demonstrate the characteristics of high-performance sports. The surrogate measures (e.g., sleeping habits) and the internal training load (ITL) measures are strongly associated and are used to monitor performance in sport. This study aimed to understand whether the relationship between internal training load and surrogate measures, observed over a 16-week period, would be beneficial or otherwise in the case of a senior female Paralympic athlete with spinal cord injury, who was training to compete in table tennis at the Parapan American Games in Lima.  Method: This case study evaluated the surrogate measures through the Heart Rate Variability measure, the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and assessed their relationship with the internal training load. Results: The data demonstrated that during the monitoring period the athlete presented minimal fluctuations in the Heart Rate Variability measure, the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey and the Pittsburgh Sleep Index. Significance was considered at p< 0.05. Conclusion and Implication: Contrary to the athlete`s age and physical condition , the data demonstrated some gains towards her success in the sporting competition. A new approach in monitoring internal training load associated with surrogate measures is necessary. It could prove to be a good strategy for implementation in competition training routines for Paralympic athletes to reach their individual goals.