A standard operating procedure for the physical performance analysis of wheelchair fencer: a scoping review

Introduction: Wheelchair fencing (WF) is a very practiced sport within the Paralympic world. A careful analysis of the characteristics and data of a WF athlete can be useful for coaches and movement experts to better plan a training program. The objective of the study was to evaluate physical fitness assessment methods adopted in WF and to propose a standard operating procedures (SOP). Evidence acquisition: Original articles written in English were included in this review, and the population studied was composed of athletes who practiced WF. Studies were searched from PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases using keywords and Boolean operators. Eight studies were included in this review. Evidence synthesis: Most of the studies converge and agree on the physical, physiological, and technical characteristics of a WF athlete. Conclusions: The scientific literature referring to this sport is very scarce, hence the need for new original studies to optimize the SOP proposed.