Disabled Sport
• Sport is greatly valued by people with disabilities, this is because of the rehabilitative
influence sport can have on both the physical body and by rehabilitating people into
society.
• Sport also teaches independence.
• Disability is a restriction in the ability to perform a normal activity of daily living
which someone of the same age is able to perform.
• A disability may be physical, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or a
combination of these.
• A disability may be present from birth or occur during a persons lifetime.
• Handicapped describes a person who, because of their disability, is unable to achieve
the normal role in society appropriate with their age.
• e.g) a person who cannot go to the toilet by themselves is handicapped
• e.g) a person who is in a wheelchair but attends a regular school and is fully
independent is disabled
• The number of people with disabilities involved in sport and physical recreation is
increasing around the world with organised sports for athletes with disabilities.
• They are divided into 3 main disability groups:
1. Sports for the deaf
2. Sports for people with physical disabilities
3. Sports for people with intellectual disabilities
• The point of the Paralympics is to have races that are fair.
• Thats why there is a classification system in place.
• There are 10 classes with those with a physical impairment.
• In each class the lower the number the more severe the disability.
• For example there are classifications such as:
1. Impaired muscle power ~ reduced force generated by muscles of 1 limb or the lower
half of the body caused by spinal chord injures.
2. Impaired passive range ~ range of movement in 1 or more joints is reduced
permanently.
• In swimming, there are 3 major classifications:
1. Physical impairment ~ PI
2. Visual impairment ~ VI
3. Intellectual impairment ~ II
• A wide range of sports have been adapted to be played by people with various
disabilities, as well as several that are unique to disabled athletes.
• Within each sporting body, different sports are practiced at different levels; for
example: not all sports are part of the Paralympic Games.
• Sport is greatly valued by people with disabilities, this is because of the rehabilitative
influence sport can have on both the physical body and by rehabilitating people into
society.
• Sport also teaches independence.
• Disability is a restriction in the ability to perform a normal activity of daily living
which someone of the same age is able to perform.
• A disability may be physical, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or a
combination of these.
• A disability may be present from birth or occur during a persons lifetime.
• Handicapped describes a person who, because of their disability, is unable to achieve
the normal role in society appropriate with their age.
• e.g) a person who cannot go to the toilet by themselves is handicapped
• e.g) a person who is in a wheelchair but attends a regular school and is fully
independent is disabled
• The number of people with disabilities involved in sport and physical recreation is
increasing around the world with organised sports for athletes with disabilities.
• They are divided into 3 main disability groups:
1. Sports for the deaf
2. Sports for people with physical disabilities
3. Sports for people with intellectual disabilities
• The point of the Paralympics is to have races that are fair.
• Thats why there is a classification system in place.
• There are 10 classes with those with a physical impairment.
• In each class the lower the number the more severe the disability.
• For example there are classifications such as:
1. Impaired muscle power ~ reduced force generated by muscles of 1 limb or the lower
half of the body caused by spinal chord injures.
2. Impaired passive range ~ range of movement in 1 or more joints is reduced
permanently.
• In swimming, there are 3 major classifications:
1. Physical impairment ~ PI
2. Visual impairment ~ VI
3. Intellectual impairment ~ II
• A wide range of sports have been adapted to be played by people with various
disabilities, as well as several that are unique to disabled athletes.
• Within each sporting body, different sports are practiced at different levels; for
example: not all sports are part of the Paralympic Games.
