Wheelchair Sports Organizations Minneapolis MN

Wheelchair Exercises Wheelchair exercises increase strength, flexibility, and muscle tone and should be part of a daily routine for wheelchair users. Working out regularly helps control weight, aid digestion, improve self-esteem, and increase energy levels.

Wheelchair Sports Activities See Below for List of Accessible Sports Organizations

Competitive wheelchair sports activities began in the late 1940's when disabled war veterans began tossing a basketball around their hospital ward, according to the Paralyzed Veterans of America Association (www.pva.org).

The psychological and physical benefits of sports participation opened up exciting opportunities and challenges for disabled athletes.

Wheelchair sports activities became officially recognized in 1957, when the first National Wheelchair Games were held in New York City. Since then, wheelchair sports activities have grown to internationally status and are attended by thousands of athletes each year.

Whether you are an athlete or not, exercise is important, regardless of your functional capabilities.

Information from the Christopher and Dana Reed Paralysis Resource Center (www.paralysis.org) indicates that people with disabilities are more prone to carrying excess weight because of a combination of changed metabolism and decreased muscle mass, along with a generally lower activity level.

Research shows that people in wheelchairs are at risk for shoulder pain, joint deterioration, even rotator cuff tears, due to the amount of stress they place on their arms. Quadriplegics, too, have pain in their shoulders.

The more weight to push, the more stress on the shoulder. Plus there's the risk the skin faces: as people gain weight, skin folds develop which trap moisture, greatly increasing the risk of skin sores.

So there are compelling reasons to engage in fitness and take up a sport. Following is a list of global organizations dedicated to furthering wheelchair sports activities.

If you have suggestions for additional resources on wheelchair fitness and recreation, please click here to send an email.

ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING WHEELCHAIR SPORTS ACTIVITIES

American Association of Adapted Sports Programs
P.O. Box 451047, Atlanta, GA 31145
Ph: 404-294-0070, Email: sports@adaptedsports.org
AAASP is dedicated to enhancing the health, independence and future economic self-sufficiency of youths with physical disabilities by facilitating a national wheelchair sports activities movement.

Achilles Track Club
42 West 38th Street, Suite 400, New York, NY 10018
Ph: 212-354-0300, e-mail: AchillesClub@aol.com
Achilles' mission is to enable people with all types of disabilities to participate in mainstream track and running athletics to promote personal achievement, enhanced self esteem, and the lowering of barriers between people.

Adaptive Adventures
P.O. Box 2245, Evergreen, CO 80437
Ph: 877-679-2770, Email: info@adaptiveadventures.org
Adaptive Adventures idenfies, promotes, and provides progressive recreational opportunities and wheelchair sports activities for people with disabilities and their families.

Alberta Amputee Sport & Recreation Association
P.O. Box 708, Station M, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 2J3
Ph: 403-20...

Role of Wheelchair Sports The Role of the World Wheelchair Sports Organization

Ask any disabled athlete if they would jump at the chance to compete against able-bodied athletes, and they would probably give you an emphatic "Yes!" Whether it's crossing the finish line in a track meet, or kayaking on the river, having the opportunity to participate in the same athletic activity as an able-bodied person is the goal of disabled athletes everywhere.

That's also the goal of World Wheelchair Sports (WWS), an organization dedicated to providing outdoor activities for people with mobility impairments.

Founded in 1990 and based in Eugene, Oregon, World Wheelchair Sports believes physical fitness is vital to everyone, regardless of disability.