Sport for Individuals with Disabilities: Research Opportunities

Societal factors have not only influenced the sport-for-individuals-withdisabilities movement in general, but the research efforts as well. In addition to the effect of the legal mandates enacted in the 1970s (Education for All Handicapped Children Act, Rehabilitation Act, Amateur Sport Act of 1978), the sport for the disabled movement has been influenced by changes in the Olympic, youth, and women's sports movements. In addition, the trends and issues facing international sport for athletes with disabilities can influence sport for individuals with disabilities in the United States. Although a few studies had been conducted, it wasn't until the 1970s and 1980s that a concerted research effort was directed toward athletes with disabilities. Recognizing this trend, the USOC's Committee on Sports for the Disabled established a Subcommittee on Research (DePauw, 1986). As an initial step toward enhancing knowledge and understanding of disabled sport, a Disabled Sport Resource Clearinghouse (DSRC) was established under the guidance of the Research Subcommittee. In this Clearinghouse are directories of individuals who are conducting sport research, as well as bibliographic information on research on sport for individuals with disabilities. In addition, this subcommittee identified seven areas of research common to athletes with disabilities. Through the assistance of disabled athletes, professionals, and coaches of disabled sport, the research areas were verified and specific topics were suggested. The following is a list of the areas of research (the reader is referred to DePauw 119861 for complete discussion of these areas):

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[2]  D. Mccormick.  Injuries in Handicapped Alpine Ski Racers. , 1985, The Physician and sportsmedicine.

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[5]  Kenneth S. Clarke.  Perspectives for the Future of the Disabled in Sport , 1986 .

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[11]  Richard Nilsen,et al.  Complications that may occur in those with spinal cord injuries who participate in sport , 1985, Paraplegia.

[12]  C. Hopper.  Socialization of wheelchair athletes in sport , 1982 .

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[17]  Gass Gc,et al.  Physiological characteristics of trained Australian paraplegic and tetraplegic subjects , 1979 .

[18]  Walsh Cm,et al.  Effect of seat position on maximal linear velocity in wheelchair sprinting. , 1986 .

[19]  Bradley N. Hedrick,et al.  The Effect of Wheelchair Tennis Participation and Mainstreaming Upon the Perceptions of Competence of Physically Disabled Adolescents , 1985 .

[20]  R. M. Glaser,et al.  Pulmonary function changes in wheelchair athletes subsequent to exercise training. , 1982, Ergonomics.

[21]  G. Gass,et al.  Physiological characteristics of trained Australian paraplegic and tetraplegic subjects. , 1979, Medicine and science in sports.

[22]  A. Taylor,et al.  Skeletal muscle analysis of wheelchair athletes , 1979, Paraplegia.

[23]  T. Lohman,et al.  Body composition comparison in two elite female wheelchair athletes , 1982, Paraplegia.

[24]  B. Grogono.  Textbook of Sport for the Disabled , 1978 .

[25]  G. Skrinar,et al.  Glycogen Utilization in Wheelchair-Dependent Athletes* , 1982, International journal of sports medicine.

[26]  Muscle strength and electrical activity, heart rate and energy cost during isometric contractions in disabled and non-disabled , 1971, Paraplegia.

[27]  G Hildebrandt,et al.  Energy costs of propelling wheelchair at various speeds: cardiac response and effect on steering accuracy. , 1970, Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation.

[28]  G. Davis,et al.  Cardio-respiratory fitness and muscular strength in the lower-limb disabled. , 1981, Canadian journal of applied sport sciences. Journal canadien des sciences appliquees au sport.

[29]  M. Horvat,et al.  A Treadmill Modification for Wheelchairs , 1984 .

[30]  R W Jackson,et al.  Sports for the physically disabled , 1979, The American journal of sports medicine.

[31]  K. Curtis,et al.  Wheelchair sports medicine , 1984, The American journal of sports medicine.

[32]  P. Staff,et al.  Physical work capacity and the effect of training on subjects with long-standing paraplegia. , 1975, Scandinavian journal of rehabilitation medicine.

[33]  K. Curtis,et al.  Survey of wheelchair athletic injuries: common patterns and prevention , 1985, Paraplegia.

[34]  Colin Higgs.  An Analysis of Racing Wheelchairs used at the 1980 Olympic Games for the Disabled , 1983 .

[35]  The value of particular sports of the wheelchair-disabled in maintaining health of the paraplegic , 1973, Paraplegia.

[36]  A. F. Morris.  A case study of a female ultramarathon wheelchair road user , 1986, Paraplegia.

[37]  N L Jones,et al.  Arm cranking and wheelchair ergometry in elite spinal cord-injured athletes. , 1983, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[38]  L E Bloomquist,et al.  Injuries to Athletes with Physical Disabilities: Prevention Implications. , 1986, The Physician and sportsmedicine.

[39]  Jennifer Wright,et al.  Changes in Self-Concept and Cardiovascular Endurance of Mentally Retarded Youths in a Special Olympics Swim Training Program , 1986 .

[40]  Sherril L. York,et al.  An Analysis of Basic Construction Variables of Racing Wheelchairs Used in the 1984 International Games for the Disabled , 1987 .

[41]  S O Brattgård,et al.  Energy expenditure and heart rate in driving a wheel-chair ergometer. , 1970, Scandinavian journal of rehabilitation medicine.

[42]  R M Glaser,et al.  Validity of power output estimation for wheelchair locomotion. , 1981, American journal of physical medicine.

[43]  C. Sherrill,et al.  Sport and disabled athletes , 1986 .

[44]  O. Bar-or,et al.  Responses to exercise of paraplegics who differ in conditioning level. , 1975, Medicine and science in sports.

[45]  R. Strauss,et al.  Selected psychological characteristics of anabolic-androgenic steroid users. , 1990, The New England journal of medicine.

[46]  E C Rhodes,et al.  Maximal exercise responses of tetraplegics and paraplegics. , 1983, Journal of applied physiology: respiratory, environmental and exercise physiology.

[47]  F. Brasile.  Wheelchair Basketball Skills Proficiencies versus Disability Classification , 1986 .

[48]  Karen P. DePauw,et al.  Research on Sport for Athletes with Disabilities , 1986 .

[49]  E C Rhodes,et al.  Submaximal exercise responses of tetraplegics and paraplegics. , 1985, Journal of applied physiology.

[50]  L. Guttmann,et al.  Textbook of sport for the disabled , 1976 .

[51]  R F Goldman,et al.  Sports medicine and the physiology of wheelchair marathon racing. , 1980, The Orthopedic clinics of North America.

[52]  C. Sherrill,et al.  Attitudes Toward Physical Activity of Elite Cerebral Palsied Athletes , 1986 .