Wheelchair Rugby – Kazuhiko Kanno (L) of Japan holds a national flag as he celebrates with his teammates after winning bronze medals. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
In the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’, the Paralympic Games are on the horizon, and athletes are preparing to take the stage to showcase their capabilities to the world. Paralympians inspire individuals of all abilities to reach for their dreams despite insurmountable odds. Furthermore, the Paralympic Games can increase the participation and opportunities of athletes with disabilities (AWD) to take part in exercise and organized sport.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) defines para-athletes as anyone whose impairment impacts their sports participation. Athletes must meet the minimum disability criteria and be classified according to the impact of their disability to participate in the Paralympic Games.
Whether in recreation or competition, athletes with disabilities may suffer injuries. They may then seek medical assistance for their injury and rehabilitation back to the sport. Sean Fyfe and Andrew Hamiltonprovide insight into working with AWD and how clinicians can best care for athletes; this includes eight fundamental principles. The rehabilitation of an AWD may be a challenge, and understanding their physical and psychological attributes is paramount to a successful outcome.
Experiencing pain is a fundamental biopsychosocial phenomenon. However, practitioners typically treat pain in isolation with little emphasis on psychological influence. Carl Bescoby explores the psychological impact of pain and discusses how psychologically informed practice may offer benefits to managing the whole pain experience throughout rehabilitation. Introduction It is common for athletes to experience pain when... MORE
Researchers obtain qualitative data through first-hand observation, interviews, questionnaires, and other non-numerical sources of information. Jason Tee explores how clinicians can utilize the qualitative data and the athlete’s voice to improve rehabilitation outcomes. Sports injury research is clinical, impartial, and objective. It reduces athlete injuries to numbers and figures, removing the stories of the athletes... MORE
Artificial playing surfaces are contentious and remain a talking point in Sports and Exercise Medicine. Marianke van der Merwe uncovers the artificial surface injury risk and provides recommendations to mitigate the risk factors for athletes. Artificial turf was first introduced in the 1960s and has evolved significantly. There are three reasons for artificial turf. Firstly,... MORE
Menopause is the natural end of a female’s menstrual cycle and can have profound and diverse effects on women. Tracy Ward discusses how the female athlete can adapt and continue to train through the menopausal transition. Menopause is the natural end of a female’s menstrual cycle, and clinicians define it as 12 months after the... MORE
The role of deceleration on injury etiology and prevention continues to gather the attention of sports medicine practitioners. Understanding the deceleration demands of sport is essential in ensuring optimal prevention and rehabilitation of injuries. Helen Bayne uncovers the assessment of deceleration and provides practical tools for practitioners to improve the management of athletes. Deceleration is... MORE
Both isometric and eccentric training is vital for musculotendinous injury rehabilitation. However, practical recommendation on combining these two modes of resistance training into the rehabilitation program is lacking. Danny Lum discusses the adaptations to these modes of resistance training and how practitioners can include them in athlete rehabilitation. The increase in sports participation and higher... MORE
