"The danger of the past was that men became slaves. The danger of the future is that man may become robots."Erich Fromm
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2004 Olympics and Yachting in Greece
Everybody knows that the Olympic Games are due to be held in Athens in 2004. Apart from the accepted consequences, positive and negative, for the city of Athens and Greece in general this sporting extravaganza will seriously affect the yachting ...
Diving in Kota Kimbalu
Kota Kimbalu is located in Southeast Asia, next to Mountain Kinabalu, the tallest mountain in the region. This area’s water is crystal clear and offers a beautiful environment not only for divers but for those who enjoy sea related activities in general ...
Physical Activity for Women's Health
Cleaning is an inexpensive and effective way to help you get more exercise. You might not see too many men using brooms or vacuums at your gym, but you can turn your home into a private health center. And as an added advantage, make your home spotless ...
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In years past, a serious physical disability meant unemployment, isolation, and inactivity for many thousands of people.
No longer. While the Americans with Disabilities Act has opened up the workplace and public facilities to people with disabilities, many organizations around the country have sprung up, offering access to sports programs both for wheelchair-bound individuals and amputees with artificial prosthetic devices. Disabled people are experiencing the joy of participating in Alpine and cross-country skiing, all kinds of water sports from swimming to sailing to scuba diving, and even more extreme sports such as mountain climbing and sky diving.
The importance of both competitive and recreational sports for individuals with disabilities can't be overestimated. Particularly for formerly able-bodied people who find themselves disabled, sports can serve as a tremendous motivation in the rehabilitation process and can help alleviate the depression, confusion, and loss of self-esteem that often accompanies a debilitating injury. For those born with a serious disability, sports can serve as an important way of connecting to the "abled" world.
Competitive sports for the disabled are experiencing phenomenal success. The world-wide organization now known as the Paralympic Games was founded in Rome, Italy, in 1960, inspired by a 1948 competition organized in England for disabled World War II veterans. According to the Paralympic Games website, participating athletes compete in a variety of sports based on one of six disability-based classifications: amputee, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, visual impairment, intellectual disability, and a general group including individual disabilities which do not fit into one of
the other five categories.
Both summer and winter sports competitions give disabled athletes the change to compete in a variety of sports; the list of summer sports includes 21 different competitive sports, ranging from archery and cycling to equestrian, powerlifting and judo. Five competitions designed specifically for wheelchair-bound athletes include basketball, dancing, fencing, rugby, and tennis. The list of winter sports is smaller, but no less challenging: athletes can compete in either Alpine or Nordic skiing, ice sledge hockey, and wheelchair curling.
Children with physical disabilities have special challenges; they're dealing with sometimes substantial limitations at the same time that they are meeting all the other demands of becoming competent, balanced, emotionally and mentally healthy human beings. The National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD) offers opportunities for children to take part in a wide range of sports activities, from skiing, ski racing, snowboarding and snowshoeing in the winter to rafting, horseback riding, and in-line skating in the summer.
The Paralympics and NSCD are only two of many organizations founded to involve disabled individuals in sports. It's evident, from the success and increasing popularity of these organizations, that both adults and children with disabilities benefit greatly from participating in adaptive sports activities, and that the benefit extends to all aspects of their lives.
About the author:
Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern New Hampshire and frequently contributes to Tips and Topics. She may be reached at amfredenburg@yahoo.com.
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Athletes to climb 86 Empire State Building floorsThe Associated PressNEW YORK (AP) — On your mark, get set, CLIMB! Athletes from around the world are taking part in a race UP the New York City skyline, climbing 86 flights of stairs at the Empire State Building. The annual Empire State Building Run-up, ...and more » |
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Keselowski climbing ladder in Sprint CupElizabethton Star“This sport's all I've ever known and I want to climb to the top of the mountain of what I enjoy, and this sport is what I enjoy. That's where my head's at. I think you have to be successful to earn that respect and that's what my primary focus is on.and more » |
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