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Sport Wheelchair

Initially, this type of wheelchairs were designed in order to be used in sports, such as tennis, basketball or roadracing. Later on it was discovered that a sport wheelchair can be used as an everyday chair.Sport chairs are also called lightweight wheelchairs or ultra-light chairs. They are manual, not power chairs.
Who can use lightweight wheelchairs?

These chairs may be used by people with a good upper-body mobility. However, there are some devices who help people with an upper extremity paralysis use a sport wheelchair as well. This model is not recommended for people who weigh more than 250 lbs. In spite of these precautions, lightweight chairs are often purchased by anyone who can use a manual wheelchair.
Design and material used

A sport wheelchair is ultra-light (only 19-30 lbs.). It is designed to withstand high speeds and quick changes of direction. This is why the materials used for the manufacturing of lightweight wheelchairs are aluminum, steel, titanium or chrome. Coverings such as plastics, spandex or vinyl are used for the seats.

The design of a sport wheelchair varies between the purpose it is used for. There are specialized lightweight wheelchairs, such as court, races, tennis, skiing, hand-cycle or beach chairs.
Sport Wheelchair Accessories

* belts – used to fix the athlete’s body in the wheelchair while performing.
* tote bags – attached to the sports wheelchair to keep water bottles
* back supports
* pushing gloves

Purchasing Sport Wheelchairs

There are many things to consider when buying a sports wheelchair, such as the user needs, the price or the brand. The most famous brands are Invacare, Colours and Quickie.

If you want to search for a sports wheelchair over the Internet here is a listing of websites that you can use:

* Spinlife
* Sportaid
* Wheelchairs

When Purchasing a wheelchair that will be used in a sporting event you should check the durability and the life expetancy it should come with at least a one year warranty. It should be tested to make sure you can properly move around in it for your advantage in the game.

Even If you dont play sports a sport wheelchair can sometimes be better quality then a regular manual wheelchair and often times lighter.

Also if you use a wheeled chair you may want to join a sport group to keep you it better shape plus it great fun and a good environment.

Emmanuel Aubrey
Researcher
For More Information on sports wheelchairs or other wheeled chairs
sport wheelchair


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Be the first to comment - What do you think?  Posted by admin - March 9, 2010 at 12:49 am

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Wheelchair Sports

There are many sports which have recently become adaptable for individuals who are confined to wheelchairs. Individuals who are quadriplegic and paraplegic can continue to participate in sports, win championships and even take home Olympic metals. Wheelchair sports have come a long way, especially in the past few years and almost all sports have become adaptable to wheelchairs. Here explained are some of the most popular wheelchair sports and some not-so-popular (but just as fun) sports which you may not have known about before reading this article.

Basketball

Basketball, perhaps the most popular wheelchair sport, was the first sport of its kind to be introduced in the 1940′s. Wheelchair basketball is a highly developed sport and is practiced both for fun and professionally on elite, competitive levels. There are wheelchair basketball leagues for men, women and children to enjoy.

Hockey

The most popular form of wheelchair hockey is called sledge hockey. Individuals are placed on a sled with skate blades and use mini sticks as opposed to the larger forms of hockey sticks. Sledge hockey allows disabled individuals to participate in and experience the wonderful game of hockey.

Rugby

Rugby is one of the more physical, fast-paced wheelchair sports and has the potential to become very intense. The rules differ quite a bit from the actual game of Rugby however the sport has been adapted quite well for disabled individuals.

Tennis

Wheelchair tennis is also one of the most popular wheelchair sports for disabled individuals to participate in. Wheelchair tennis has the same rules and regulations as normal tennis except that the ball can bounce twice as opposed to just once. This makes it easier to get to the ball. This sport can be adapted to all individuals, regardless of their form of disability.

Other Sports and Activities

There are a number of other sports that are available for individuals with disabilities. Some of the other less-popular (but just as fun) sports and activities include waterskiing, tubing, bowling, billiards and hang gliding.

Raquel Simons has done a lot of research on wheelchairs and acts as a freelance writer for thewheelchairsite.com – a site that offers information on wheelchairs, lift chairs, wheelchair lifts and more.


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Be the first to comment - What do you think?  Posted by admin - March 8, 2010 at 8:29 pm

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Finding The Right Sports Wheelchair

If you’re in the market for a sports wheelchair, you know there are a variety of considerations to be made with any wheelchair purchase.

Sports wheelchair purchases aren’t that different from other wheelchair purchases. You need to make sure the wheelchair will suit your needs, your size and your lifestyle.

Here are some purchase considerations:

*What size wheelchair do you need? If you are very tall or very short, that will factor into your sports wheelchair buying decision. If you are heavy, you’ll need a heavier-duty chair than someone who is smaller and lighter.

*How much do you want to spend? Sports wheelchairs are not cheap, and can cost anywhere from about $1,000 to $10,000 depending on a variety of factors. Be sure you know what your needs are and how heavily you’ll use the chair before making this relatively large investment.

*What’s your sport? Sports wheelchairs are generally designed for a specific sport. If you play basketball, you’ll want a sports wheelchair for that sport. Those who like to race buy handbike wheelchairs. It’s all in your need and how to feed that need.

Now, once you have your needs figured out, how do you purchase? There are several options. When purchasing a wheelchair, if you can try it out, that’s better than buying sight unseen. Try to head to a few local wheelchair stores and try one out. There might be a brand or style you find more or less comfortable.

Buying locally might be more convenient for you and certainly faster, since you can bring home your wheelchair sooner rather than later, but buying online has one decided advantage: price. There are several online wheelchair stores that will sell you a good sports wheelchair at a deeply discounted rate. If you know what you want in a wheelchair (and have perhaps already done a quick trial in a local store), this doesn’t have to be a scary, unknown purchase; simply search for the brand and model you have already seen in person.

If you do choose to shop online for your new wheelchair, be sure to keep in mind that shipping can add quite a lot to the cost. Search for an online site that will give you free shipping – many offer this regularly, while others have special promotions. This can save you up to more than $100.

Thinking of buying used? This is certainly an option. There are many wheelchair sports leagues and through them, you could purchase a good quality used chair at a fraction of the retail price. This is an excellent way to try out a sport without too much investment. Also check locally to see if you can find a used chair through any mobility impaired groups. Check your local Craigslist and classified ads as well.

Is purchasing a used chair a good idea? Certainly, if you avoid certain pitfalls. First, know the retail value of a new, similar chair. Don’t overpay for a used chair. Check the condition of the chair carefully (in other words, don’t purchase sight unseen). If it has a lot of wear and obvious use, be sure the price is in line with the chair’s condition. Finally, make sure the chair you are buying is appropriate for your sport. If you’re new to sports wheelchairs, you don’t want to make an inexact purchase that will end up being a waste of space or money.

Beverly Walker is a retired nurse providing valuable information about wheel chairs, mobility chairs, and scooters.


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Be the first to comment - What do you think?  Posted by admin - at 5:18 pm

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Quick Guide on Wheelchair Sports and Popular Wheelchair Sports

Wheelchair sports were invented because the awareness that even disabled people have rights to play sports and participate in competitions. Nowadays, wheelchair sports are very popular and people who are physically disabled and affected due to their intellectual disability can participate. Most of the sports are adapted from the normal sports with some modifications in the rules and regulations to accommodate wheelchair players. Wheelchair sports are also part of international competition for disabled people called Paralympic Games, which now is conducted at the same period and country as Olympics.

There are many types of wheelchair sports, among them are racing, basketball, tennis, table tennis, badminton, bowling, hockey, football, and baseball. Some of them are played in manual wheelchairs, while others in electric wheelchairs. Normally sports that are required electric wheelchairs have the term electric before the name like Electric Wheelchair Baseball.

Wheelchairs, either manual or electric, that are used in sports are not the same as regular ones. It is specially designed to have higher speeds and it is also easy to be maneuvered. The wheels have angles for added stability and the frame is stronger to sustain rough activities during sports. The following sections discuss two popular wheelchair sports, namely wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis.

Wheelchair Basketball

It is believed that wheelchair sports were started in 1946 during the Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Games and wheelchair basketball was introduced in 1956 where Pan Am Jets is the first team who won the competition. The sport gained popularity and the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) was formed in 1973 to oversee the sport until now.

Most of the rules in the wheelchair basketball follow the rules of regular basketball. The biggest difference is perhaps concerning the rules of traveling. In regular basketball, traveling happens when a player moves both feet while holding the basketball. Traveling is closely related to double-dribbling, where a player stops dribbling, holds the ball, and dribbles again. In wheelchair basketball, traveling is when a player touches his wheels more than two times after receiving or dribbling the ball. The player must pass, bounce, or shoot before he or she can touch the wheels again.

Wheelchair basketball has a player classification system, which basically is a number system from 1 to 5. The number indicates the severity of the handicap, where a player that is almost paralyzed completely is classified as 1.0, while an able-bodied player is classified as 5.0. Everyone can participate in a wheelchair basketball games and the system is intended to balance the teams and ensure fairness.

Wheelchair Tennis

Wheelchair tennis is basically played in the same way as regular tennis. There are two or four players, one or two on each side of the net, and they need to hit the ball back and forth. The only difference is that the players are not running, but they use wheelchairs to reach and hit the ball. It was started in 1970s by a young man named Brad Parks.

Many people like to play wheelchair tennis and this sport has gained much popularity among other wheelchair sports. You may need specialized equipments to play it as regular ones can be quite difficult to be handled. The wheelchair should really be in a good condition for playing wheelchair tennis so you can maneuver quickly.

Cindy Heller is a professional writer. To learn more about wheel chair van conversion, please visit Wheel Chair Accessory.

Be the first to comment - What do you think?  Posted by admin - March 1, 2010 at 7:56 pm

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