Classification system for cerebral palsy wheelchair rugby players

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Date
2006-05
Authors
Malan, Hetta
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University of the Free State
Abstract
English: Wheelchair rugby originated in 1977 in Canada, as a sport for athletes with tetraplegia (quadriplegia).The game has grown into an intense physical team sport for both female and male with a variety of disabilities involving all four limbs. Athletes are systematically grouped into sport classes according to their ability to move and perform basic functional skills in their specific sport. This allows for fairness. Cerebral palsy (CP) players joined the wheelchair rugby. Because the CP’s disability lies on a total different level, classifiers find it difficult to classify them correctly. The aim of the study as to explore whether the present classification system disadvantages the CP wheelchair rugby players. An explorative descriptive research design was used. Data was gathered by the use of the nominal group technique. The research took place at the 2005 International Wheelchair Amputee Sport championships in Brazil. Seven specialists in the field of wheelchair rugby participated in the study. The findings of the study and the conclusion reached indicated that there is a definite need for a different and more functional approach to bench testing cerebral palsy wheelchair rugby players. A new bench test format should be developed and could then be suggested to the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation for possible future inclusion in the classification manual.
Afrikaans: Rolstoel rugby het 1977 in Kanada ontstaan as sport vir atlete met tetraplegie (kwadriplegie). Die spel het gegroeie tot ‘n intense fiesiese kompeterende spansport vir mans sowel as dames met ‘n ver7skeidenheid gestremdhede wat al vier ledemate affekteer. Spelers word in verskillende sportklasse vir spesifieke sportsoorte ingedeel om sodoende groter regverdigheid op die speelveld te bewerkstellig. Hierdie klassifikasie gekied volgens hul vermoë om te beweeg en basiese vaardighede van die spesifieke sport uit te voer. Serebraal gestremde spelers het later ook aan die sport begin deelneem. Aangesien hulle gestremdheid op ‘n totaal ander vlak lê, is dit moeilik vir die klassifiseerders om hierdie spelers korrek te klassifiseer. Die doel van die studie was om vas te stel of die rolstoel rugby klassifikasie se bestaande sisteem die serebraal gestremde speler benadeel. Die navorser het van ‘n verkennende beskrywende navorsingsontwerp gebruik gemaak. Data is deur middel van die nominalegroep tegniek ingesamel. Die navorsing het tydens die International Wheelchair Amputation Sport in Brasilië plaasgevind. Die deelnemers was sewe spesialiste op die gebied van rolstoel rugby klassifikasie. Die resultate van hierdie studie het getoon dat daar ‘n defnitiewe behoefte bestaan vir ‘n meer funksionele benadering tot die spiersterktetoets (bench test) vir serebraal gestremde rolstoel rugby spelers. ‘n Nuwe formaat vir die spiersterktetoets moet ontwikkel word. Hierdie toets kan dan aan die International Wheelchair Rugby Federation se klassifikasiepaneel vir moontlike insluiting in die klassifikasiesisteem opgeneem te word.
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Sports for people with disabilities, Wheelchair rugby, Cerebral palsied -- Classification, Dissertation (M.Sc. (Physiotherapy))--University of the Free State, 2006
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