Article Review #3

Article Review Assignment:
This article is for the assignment about adaptive equipment used in therapeutic recreation.

Name of Article:
The article is entitled "Handicapped Skiing: A Current Review of Downhill Snow Skiing for the Disabled."

Name of Journal:
My article came from the journal called Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics.

Name of author(s):
The author of this article was David P. McCormick, MD.

When and how did you locate this article?
After much labored search, I located this article on a snowy Friday afternoon on February 24th, 2012 at around 2:00. I had been doing a lot of looking on the library's website, but I actually ended up going into the physical library and having the librarian help me broaden my search. I still got my article from the internet, however.

Two paragraph synopsis of what you learned in this article:
In this article, McCormick gets his information mainly from an organization called New England Handicapped Sportsman Association (NEHSA). One of their main goals is to get people with disabilities skiing on the slopes in the midst of people who don't have disabilities. They work with a number of people, including people with amputations, people with spina bifida, those with visual/hearing impairments, people with cerebral palsy, and many more. The main group of people that they work with are those who have had amputations.

They use a number of different types of adaptive equipment on the slopes. One piece of equipment they use quite a bit is called an outtrigger. It is basically like a crutch that has a baby ski/runner on the bottom. People who have problems balancing or who only have one leg are able to hold these with their arms to help navigate down the hill. Another adaptation that was in the article was an outtrigger that someone with a forearm amputation can use. This outtrigger would then have a cuff/attachment so the skier doesn't have to hold on to it. A few adaptations for those with weaker lower extremities include a small platform to rest one foot on, in case a leg/foot gets tired, or a cantilevered boot heel for those with prosthetic legs. The cantilevered boot heel allows for easier turning. A final adaptation that McCormick talked about is the sit-ski. It is made like a kayak, so one with spina bifida/quadriplegia/paralyzed legs can sit in it and ski down, while using a kayak-like pole to steer. These skiers are often tied to a guide. The craft itself is created to protect the rider if he/she should roll.

Through NEHSA, each skier who has had amputations will go through training before getting on the slopes. Also, people who are blind will usually ski with a guide for as many years as they participate in the sport. People who are blind become very sensitive to their bodies and surroundings.

How will you apply this knowledge to your professional development?
One thing that the article mentioned was that almost anything can have adaptations. I want to keep this in mind as I get to know individuals rather than populations. As we in TR get to know people who have disabilities, we will better know how to accommodate to their needs and desires. It's important to have the desire to learn how others can accomplish things that make their hearts soar and so, in thinking about adaptations, the sky is the limit.

Would you recommend this article for other TR students? Why/why not?
I would definitely recommend this article to other TR students. Even though many people know about the fact that those with disabilities are able to ski and do many recreational activities, it's beneficial to learn exactly how the adaptations allow them to participate. The author was very detailed and integrative in his thinking. Adaptations are such a big part of TR and the more we see the creativity that goes into making different types of equipment, the more we will be able to think outside of the box and dream up our own ideas.