Adaptation of Equipment

The physical limitations of orthopedically handi­capped children are related to opportunity for participation in games. It may be necessary to adapt equip­ment to include children in sports activity. For in­stance, there are several commercially available pieces of equipment that enable handicapped per­sons to participate in bowling. Some of the adapta­tions are a bowling bowl with handles, a fork that allows the handicapped person to push the bowling ball as in shuffleboard, and a ramp that enables grav­ity to act on the ball in place of the force provided by movement. Mach of these adaptations in equip­ment accommodates for a specific physical problem related to bowling. The adapted equipment for bowl­ing is paired with the nature of the physical problem.

Assessment of Skills Needed for Participation Many children with severe physical handicaps can engage in games and sports with few adaptations. Most can enjoy swimming activities. However, per­sons restricted to wheelchairs should be appraised to determine their functional movement capability. Mo­tor programs should then be developed to meet their unique needs. The assessment should provide infor­mation about the potential for movement of each ac­tion of the body. This would involve knowledge of strength, power, flexibility, and endurance of specific muscle groups. In addition, there should be infor­mation about which movement actions can be coor­dinated to attain specific motor outcomes. For in­stance, several throwing patterns that children with severe impairments use when participating in the Special Olympics can help circumvent movement problems of the arms and hands. The desired throw­ing pattern is one of extension of the arm and elbow and flexion of the wrist. If either of these actions is impaired, alternate throwing patterns need to be found. Some throwing patterns developed to circum­vent extreme disability of arm, elbow, and wrist are underhand movement, horizontal abduction of the arm/shoulder, flexion of the arm and elbow (over the shoulder), horizontal abduction of the arm (side arm), and overhand movement with most of the force from a rocking motion of the trunk. To maxi­mize the potential of each of these types of throwing patterns, it is necessary to conduct training programs that will consider each child's assets and develop them fully. However, another option is to provide therapeutic exercise for each ot the desired actions and then teach it as a functional, normalized move­ment pattern.

The ability prerequisites of strength, flexibility, en­durance, power, and coordination can be applied to many wheelchair activities. Some of these activities involve (1) transfer skills from and to the wheelchair, (2) performance on mats, (3) performance on gym­nastics apparatus, (4) ability to maneuver vehicles, (5) motor capabilities in a swimming pool, (6) walk­ing with aids, and (7) the ability to push and pull objects. The ability prerequisites for each fundamen­tal movement pattern should be studied to identify specific problems so that appropriate intervention can be undertaken.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-16