Preliminary dietary recommendations for adult spinal cord-injured endurance hand cyclists

Abstract

Sports nutrition recommendations for able-bodied athletes are well established. However, sports nutrition recommendations for para-athletes are still developing. Spinal cord-injured (SCI) hand cyclists face unique physiological and nutrition-related challenges compared with able-bodied athletes, complicating the extrapolation of recommendations. This paper aims to propose preliminary dietary recommendations for adult SCI endurance hand cyclists based on their unique challenges while considering existing sports nutrition recommendations for able-bodied and para-athletes. A two-phase approach was followed. Phase one involved a review of existing literature regarding the physiological and nutrition-related challenges experienced by SCI athletes, including their current dietary intake and body composition patterns, as well as existing sports nutrition recommendations. Phase two consisted of proposing dietary recommendations for SCI endurance hand cyclists, considering the information gathered during phase one. A total of 10 preliminary recommendations are proposed, focusing on general daily intake for carbohydrates, fibre, protein, fat, and micronutrients as well as exercise-specific guidelines covering carbohydrate, fluid, and protein intake before, during, and after exercise. These preliminary recommendations are based on current available literature but provide a starting point for developing dietary recommendations for SCI hand cyclists. Future research should rigorously test these recommendations and apply them to the broader paralympic community where applicable.