Physical Disabilities
Amputation
Amputation of a portion of the body may have been required due to an accident,
as a result of a disease such as cancer or due to circulation problems. Individuals may choose to compete in a wheelchair versus using a prosthetic device (like an artificial limb). Amputees usually have normal voluntary muscle movement and sensation, cardiovascular, respiratory, bowel and bladder function and body temperature regulation.
It is important to note that in many sports for individuals
with physical challenges, amputees dominate the top rankings. Although missing a limb, typically the amputee has full function of their body with no paralysis or other weakness. Consequently, they are able to condition their entire body. In tennis, these athletes can rotate their full body to generate power in a stroke or bend to place themselves in an aerodynamically correct position in wheelchair racing. In contrast, individuals with paralysis and muscular weakness are often unable to condition and maintain muscle strength in those afflicted areas of the body.
Spinal cord injury
Spinal cord injury (SCI) affects movement, sensation and other nervous system functions which regulate body functions such as temperature, bladder and bowel control and heart rate. A SCI is often a result of a fall, vehicle accident or sports injury. The spinal cord may be severed, or as a result of the trauma, bones in the spine may bruise or press on the spinal cord. This disrupts the transmission of nerve impulses between the brain and other parts of the body.
The Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center has sited that there are 450,000 Americans with SCI. The majority of injuries are the result of accidents and 82% are men. In the United States there are 10,000 new cases of SCI per year.
Individuals with injuries in the cervical and thoracic areas may be more susceptible to respiratory infections (due to their inability to produce a strong cough). They may also experience spasticity (an increase in muscle tone) which can cause leg shaking or spasms.
Due to a lack of sensation, skin breakdowns are common. Sitting for long periods of time can produce pressure sores or ulcers which can become infected. Individuals may not even recognize when they have been injured due to lack of pain sensation.
Spina bifida
While SCI is normally caused by an accident or fall, spina bifida is a congenital condition (from birth, but not hereditary) incurred while the spinal cord developed during pregnancy. Specifically, early in the pregnancy the spine did not close properly. In severe cases, the spinal cord protrudes through the back and may be covered by skin or a thin membrane. Individuals with spina bifida often experience many of the same limitations of a SCI (motor, sensatory, bladder and bowel function), although they do not generally experience body heat regulation and spasticity problems.
Polio
Polio or post-polio paralysis is caused by a virus which migrates to the body's neurological system. The virus attacks motor nerve cells resulting in permanent muscle weakness. Some individuals may experience more fatigue, pain or muscle weakness with age. This may be a normal aging process since nerve cells change over time. However, some research suggests that the remaining functional nerve cells are overworked and begin to deteriorate. Of course, this would be a concern for athletes who train at high intensity.
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy affects muscular coordination and voluntary movement. Either during development or at birth, areas of the brain which control coordination, motor function, speech or muscle tone may be affected.
