Wheelchair Sports
Wheelchair sports athletes and Paralympians and are an inspiration to us all Wheelchair marathons and wheelchair sporting events now parallel the world's most popular sports - wheelchair downhill skiing, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair hockey, wheelchair volleyball and more are becoming more frequently televised.
For example, the Paralympic Games is now the second largest sporting event in the world, second only to the Olympic Games. The Paralympic Games feature 21 sports, and represents amputees, blind or visually impaired athletes, athletes with cerebral palsy, athletes with spinal cord injuries and athletes with multiple sclerosis or dwarfism.
It is sad and unfortunate that the majority of North American schools don't offer more resources for wheelchair sports athletes. The costs of sports wheelchairs and adaptive sports equipment are enough to discourage an athlete from wheelchair sports altogether.
Despite the costs, wheelchair sports benefit disabled athletes both mentally and physically. Participants in wheelchair sports gain self-esteem, recreational enjoyment, social integration, healthy competition and overall health - such as endurance, muscle strength, cardiovascular health, flexibility and motor skills. It is even suggested that that by participating in wheelchair sports, amputees will improve the use of their prosthetic devices.
Wheelchair users who remain athletic are at lower risk of cardiac disease, high cholesterol, and are generally less susceptible to virus and infection.
If you are interested in becoming involved in a wheelchair sport start by contacting your State Rehabilitation Department or any local disability organizations to see if they host a wheelchair sport or can put you in touch with a wheelchair sport organization.
