adaptive ice skating.
It seems pretty obvious to me that almost anyone with a disability can ice skate with a little help, but there is some innovative adaptive equipment people can use if they need a little more support. Here is a description of adaptive equipment according to United Cerebral Palsy.
Skates and Walkers
Prosthetic skates are available for individuals with leg amputations. For more information, contact Chedoke Rehab Services.
Three skate models are available through SABAH. Model 1 is designed for people with Down's Syndrome or surgically corrected clubbed feet and is cut wider than a standard skate. Model 2 is designed for skaters who wear ankle foot orthoses (AFOs), supra-malleolar orthoses (SMOs) or reciprocating gait orthoses (RGOs). These include people with cerebral palsy or spina bifida. Model 3 is designed for all skaters with disabilities who would benefit from a skate with the greater comfort provided by softer leather and increased ankle padding.
Three models of walkers are available through SABAH. Model 1 can be used by beginning skaters as well as skaters with disabilities. Model 2 is designed for skaters with disabilities who are able to walk or bear weight for limited amounts of time. Examples include skaters with cerebral palsy or spina bifida. Model 3 is designed for skaters with disabilities who have limited or no ability to bear weight.
As you can see, through the use of prosthetic skates and the different skate models, anyone can get out on the ice!
SABH (Skating Athletes Bold at Heart), an organization that is dedicated to helping all kinds of people with disabilities experience the benefits of therapeutic ice skating. According to their website, these are the kinds of disabilities they most frequently work with on the ice.
- Cerebral Palsy
- Mental Retardation
- Developmental Delays
- Down Syndrome
- Hearing Impairments
- Scoliosis
- Speech Impairments
- Neurological Impairments
- Vision Impairments
- Congenital Heart Defects
- Spina Bifida
- Autism
- Multiple Disabilities
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Hemophilia
- Emotional/Behavior Disabilities
- Learning Disabilities
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Epilepsy/Seizure Disorders
- Heart Transplant
- Congenital Myopathy
- Amputation
- William's Syndrome
- Cancer
In addition to recreational ice skating, people with disabilities can also compete in it as a sport. In the Special Olympics, there are two categories: figure skating and speed skating. In figure skating, there are many events offered for both men and women, singles and pairs. There can be a team of a person with a mental retardation paired with a person without mental retardation.
Look at this guy from Special Olympics New Zealand doing a program to the Pirates of the Carribean!
In speed skating, there is a range of different competitions, from individual to team. They also offer a competition for individuals with lower ability levels to participate in called the 25-meter-straight-away-sprint.
For more info about Ice Skating in the Special Olympics, check out their website!
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