Wheelchair sport : a complete guide for athletes, coaches, and teachers

224 Pages·2010·5.833 MB·English

by  Vicky Goosey-Tolfrey

W
heelchair
Spor t
A complete guide for athletes,
coaches, and teachers
Vicky Goosey-Tolfrey, PhD
Loughborough University
Editor
Human Kinetics
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Wheelchair sport / Vicky Goosey-Tolfrey, [editor].
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-7360-8676-9 (soft cover)
ISBN-10: 0-7360-8676-5 (soft cover)
1. Wheelchair sports. I. Goosey-Tolfrey, Vicky, 1971- II. Title.
GV709.3.G66 2010
790.196--dc22
2009051856
ISBN-10: 0-7360-8676-5 (print)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7360-8676-9 (print)
Copyright © 2010 by Vicky Goosey-Tolfrey
This book is copyrighted under the Berne Convention. All rights are reserved. Apart from any fair deal-
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Contents
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vii
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix
Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
ParT I Understanding Wheelchair Sport
CHAPter 1 Introduction to Wheelchair Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Sean Tweedy and Nicholas Diaper
Spinal Cord Anatomy, Functions, and Injury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Health-Related Effects of Wheelchair Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Sport Classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Sports for Wheelchair Athletes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Using Sport Knowledge for Athlete Profiling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
CHAPter 2 Sport Chair Set-Up and Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Hsin-yi Liu, Ian M. Rice, Justin Z. Laferrier, Rosemarie Cooper,
Mike Boninger, and Rory A. Cooper
Wheelchair Components and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Basic Wheelchair Set-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Sport-Specific Wheelchair Set-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Injury Prevention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
CHAPter 3 Physiology of Wheelchair Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Vicky Goosey-Tolfrey and Mike Price
Physiological Responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Training Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Types of Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Measuring Exercise Intensity and Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
CHAPter 4 Strength and Conditioning for Wheelchair Sport . . 63
Andy Allford and Linda Mitchell-Norfolk
Unique Strength Training Needs of Wheelchair Athletes . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Needs Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Guidelines for Safe and Effective Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Guidelines for Exercise Prescription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Free Weights Versus Fixed Resistance Machines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Sample Training Programmes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
iii
iv Contents
CHAPter 5 Nutrition and Body Composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Thomas Reilly and Jeanette Crosland
Eating to Train . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Eating to Win . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Body Composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Body Compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Assessment Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
Suggested Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
Suggested Websites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
CHAPter 6 the travelling Athlete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Mike Price, Jeanette Crosland, and Nick Webborn
Medical Issues Related to Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
Practical Concerns Related to Flying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90
Accommodations and Adaptations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
Nutrition and Hydration When Travelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
Exercising in the Heat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
CHAPter 7 Psychological Aspects of Wheelchair Sport . . . . . . 99
David Shearer and Elizabeth Bressan
Getting Involved in Wheelchair Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
Developing Athletes’ Sport Commitment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
Understanding Psychological Aspects of Wheelchair Sport . . . . . . . . .108
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
ParT II Training for Wheelchair Sports
CHAPter 8 Wheelchair Basketball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Mike Frogley
Wheelchair Propulsion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
Wheelchair Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
Power Start and Stop ......................................122
Half-Court Tow............................................123
Forward Partner Pulls ......................................123
Backward Partner Pulls.....................................124
Clovers .................................................124
U-Turns..................................................125
Hops ...................................................125
Tilting...................................................126
Christmas Trees...........................................126
Jump and Recover .......................................126
Shooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128
Passing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130
Dribbling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132
CHAPter 9 Wheelchair racing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Tanni Grey-Thompson and Ian Thompson
Chair Set-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136
Gloves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137
Contents v
Pushing Technique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139
Training Programme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Skill and Fitness Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
Racing Tactics for Sprints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148
Racing Tactics for Endurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
CHAPter 10 Wheelchair rugby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Kevin Orr and Laurie A. Malone
Game Play and Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152
Classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153
Equipment Selection and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
Fundamental Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155
Rugby Offence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156
Rugby Defence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157
Rugby Season Training Programme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158
Drills for Rugby Skill Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159
Ball Pickups..............................................159
Whistle Drill ..............................................160
Figure-Eight Pushing.......................................160
Caterpillar Passing........................................160
Hot Seat Passing..........................................161
Three-Player Weave .......................................161
Long Passing.............................................162
Diamond in the Rough ....................................163
Four Corners.............................................163
Skills Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166
CHAPter 11 Wheelchair tennis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Dawn Newbery, Geraint Richards, Stephanie Trill,
and Martyn Whait
Ten Steps to the Top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168
Taping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169
Attack and Defence Drills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170
Returning Second Serve ...................................170
High Forehand ...........................................171
Deep, Short, Deep, Short ...................................172
Deep, Mid, Short..........................................172
Bounce–Smash ..........................................173
Hit Down the Line Off a Crosscourt Ball........................174
Hit Crosscourt Off a Down-the-Line Ball........................174
Twenty Shots.............................................174
Rabbit Ears ..............................................175
Hustle ..................................................176
Mobility Drills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176
Down the Mountain.......................................176
Park the Car .............................................177
Through the Gate.........................................178
Sprint, Slalom, Reverse .....................................178
Two-Push Slalom..........................................179
Half-Court Map...........................................180
Fan Drill.................................................180
Agility Drill ...............................................181
Box-Command Drill .......................................182
Speed Play ..............................................182
Tennis Serve Comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186
vi Contents
CHAPter 12 Handcycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Thomas Abel, Yves Vanlandewijck, and Joeri Verellen
Training Programmes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189
Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191
Training Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192
High-Volume Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192
Recovery................................................193
Position .................................................193
Strength for Long and Intensive Routes .......................193
Velocity .................................................193
Mechanical Efficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194
Cadence Versus Power ....................................194
Nonspecific Training.......................................194
Steering, Braking, and Accelerating ..........................194
Riding in Groups..........................................195
Racing Tactics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199
About the editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205
About the Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207
Foreword
All people need to maintain healthy, active lifestyles. Sport can play a large part
in such a lifestyle; for those who use a wheelchair, many sports are available.
The International Paralympic Committee strives to ensure that sport is accessible
to all potential Paralympic athletes. We encourage all participants to be the best
they can be, whether that involves making small personal gains in weekly local
competitions or working towards becoming a Paralympic champion.
Wheelchair Sport has everything you need for optimal performance. You will
also find that the sport-specific chapters provide plenty of advice on excelling in
wheelchair rugby, basketball, racing, handcycling, and tennis.
What most impresses me about Wheelchair Sport are the insights from the
world’s leading athletes, sport scientists, and coaches in the field. Their thoughts
on training and preparing for competition will benefit all readers looking to gain
an edge in their sports.
I have known Dr. Vicky Goosey-Tolfrey and her team of contributors for many
years, and I have always been impressed by their knowledge and the way in
which they communicate their ideas to their athletes, coaches, and support staff.
Wheelchair Sport superbly reflects these levels of expertise; you will benefit from
the advice of Dr. Goosey-Tolfrey and the contributors.
I look forward to seeing the future wheelchair sport stars being inspired by
the information contained in these pages.
Sir Philip Craven, MBE
vii

Preface
Each year thousands of men and women become disabled due to an accident or
illness and thereafter use a wheelchair for locomotion. The statistics tell us that
there are approximately 1 to 2 million wheelchair users in the United States and
approximately 1 to 2 million wheelchair users in Europe. This means that approxi-
mately 1 in every 200 people in the United States and Europe are in wheelchairs.
In 1948, Sir Ludwig Guttman, a neurologist who was working with World War
II veterans with spinal injuries at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury, in the
United Kingdom, began using sport as part of the rehabilitation programmes for
his patients. Since that time, participation in wheelchair sport has grown beyond
a method to improve wheelchair users’ physical capacity. Wheelchair sport can
increase confidence and self-esteem, and it may provide people with a positive
outlook on life. There is a wheelchair sport for almost everyone who wants to
participate and for any level of expertise, from novice through to Paralympic
competition.
High-performance athletes are high performance whether they have a disability
or not. However, the journey to this level of sporting excellence is dramatically
different for wheelchair sport. Wheelchair athletes need sporting opportunities
that nurture, recruit, and develop them through to the national level. They need
access to sporting facilities and the community, as well as effective disability sport
organizations. Access and support are just some of the challenges that wheelchair
athletes and nondisabled athletes do not share.
Although the unique challenges of wheelchair sport participation can present
obstacles, there are more opportunities than ever before to compete at any level.
Advances in wheelchairs, understanding of the classification system, training
methods, pushing techniques, and psychological aspects of wheelchair sport should
help people with disabilities to achieve their sporting dreams. At the highest level,
wheelchair sports have a dominating presence at the Paralympic Games, and while
the science, engineering, and sporting classification systems evolve we rely on
evidence practice through scientific communities to keep up. Wheelchair Sport
bridges the gap between sporting excellence to wheelchair sport at a grassroots
level. Wheelchair Sport is an educational resource for coaches, physical trainers,
sport scientists, rehabilitation practitioners, wheelchair users, and all those with
an interest in the field of wheelchair sport.
The development and implementation of safe and effective exercise and tech-
nical training programmes for wheelchair athletes may be based on theory for
nondisabled athletes. After appreciating the many differences between nondis-
abled and wheelchair athletes, the book highlights the practical application of
conventional strength and conditioning principles, nutritional considerations, and
aspects of travel in relation to the needs of athletes who use a wheelchair for sport
or for daily locomotion. Many questions may be asked by coaches, athletes, and
practitioners, such as, “Do I need to adapt my coaching techniques to suit athletes
with disabilities?”, “How should I set up my sport wheelchair?”, and “What are the
ix
x Preface
energy requirements of the wheelchair athlete?” There are obviously going to be
differences to the conventional theories regarding nondisabled athletes; however,
even among wheelchair users there is likely to be a wide range of answers to these
questions based on whether the athlete has a spinal cord injury, at what point the
injury is sited, when the onset of the disability occurred, whether it is complete
or incomplete, and whether the athlete uses a wheelchair for a different reason.
In order to answer some of these questions, Wheelchair Sport is divided into
two parts. The contributors of part I have all made significant contributions to
sport science education through involvement with national sporting governing
bodies and national Paralympic associations. The structure of this text provides
a balance between a general overview of and details about classification; psy-
chological, mechanical, biomechanical, and physiological factors; strength and
conditioning; nutrition and body composition; and the travel concerns that may
be experienced when participating in wheelchair sport.
The first chapter introduces the sports that form the basis of this text and
familiarizes the reader towards classification. This is followed by a chapter that
describes the importance of wheelchair selection and propulsion technique. The
third chapter demonstrates the importance of understanding the physiological
differences between nondisabled and wheelchair athletes and the physiological
adaptations that result from training. As a natural progression from this, chapter
4 introduces the concepts of strength and conditioning for wheelchair sport.
Optimum nutritional strategies for health, training, and competition are discussed
in chapter 5, along with assessment of body composition. Chapter 6 provides
some practical advice to the wheelchair athlete who is travelling and competing
abroad. Finally, chapter 7 describes principles and considerations that should be
incorporated into the practice of those working with wheelchair athletes.
Part II is made up of sport-specific chapters and covers the five main sports
(wheelchair basketball, racing, rugby, tennis, and handcycling). Although their
experience lies in a number of wheelchair sports, the contributors of this section
are united by their passion towards each sport, a respect of other coaches and
athletes, and a desire to further the status that wheelchair sport deserves. All the
contributors in this section have personally coached or been involved themselves
as either an athlete or part of the support team at a very high level (including the
Paralympics). These chapters provide a brief background of the sport, tactical
advice in the form of drills, and playing and racing strategies. There is a truly
international flavour to this section, with contributions from Belgium, Canada,
Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The authors contributing to this book include coaches, applied sport scientists,
and specialists in sports medicine and physical therapy working within Paralympic
sport, as well as four high-performance wheelchair athletes whose stories can only
have enhanced wheelchair sporting knowledge. It was a pleasure to incorporate
these brief insights of life as a Paralympian by Mike Frogley; the Baroness Grey-
Thompson; Peter Norfolk, OBE; and Randy Snow. This text is designed to help
readers gain the necessary knowledge to enhance performance while at the same
time allowing people with disabilities to realize what it may take to achieve their
sporting dreams at any level.