Effects of pole position and grip height on upper-body kinetics and throwing performance in paralympic seated shot put

Purpose This study investigated the effects of pole position (horizontal distance from the seat) and pole grip height on kinetic parameters and throwing performance in Paralympic seated shot put. Methods Four F33-34 athletes (1 national and 3 international levels) each performed 27 maximum-effort throws across nine pole configurations (3 pole positions & times; 3 grip heights) in a fully crossed within-subject design. Upper-body joint powers and pole forces were calculated using three-dimensional inverse dynamics and an instrumented throwing pole. Linear mixed models with random intercepts for athlete were used to assess the effects of pole position and grip height on 13 kinetic variables, with Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate correction. Within-athlete performance associations were tested for variables with significant pole configuration effects. A post-protocol fatigue check (three additional throws at each athlete's normal configuration) confirmed no significant performance decrement (d = 0.24).Results Pole position significantly affected seven of thirteen kinetic variables (all q < 0.05), including trunk axial rotation power (d = 1.15), throwing-arm shoulder power, and pole forces (posterior pole force d = 2.67). No grip height main effects or interactions survived correction. Despite these substantial kinetic changes, throw distance was not significantly affected by any pole configuration (marginal R2 = 0.005). Of the seven significant variables, only mean lateral pole force was associated with within-athlete throw distance (beta = -0.043 m/N, q = 0.005), with a more laterally directed force linked to greater distance. Conclusion Pole position is the primary equipment variable influencing kinetic strategy in seated shot put, while athletes maintain comparable throw distances through compensatory movement strategies. Mean lateral pole force is the sole kinetic variable that is both sensitive to pole position and predictive of performance, providing preliminary evidence that lateral pole force may be a useful candidate variable for individualised pole position selection, although the practical magnitude (within-athlete Delta R-2 = 0.012) is modest. Pole configuration can be leveraged as a targeted training tool to modulate joint loading without compromising competitive performance.