Adapted Snow Skiing

The world we live in today is afraid to take the time to stop and find ways to help people with disabilities. I believe it is because, we as a society are afraid of affecting them even more. But we affect them by not including them at all. We see someone with a disability and shy away from them because the experiences and lifestyle they have or have been through. Over the past 3 weeks I have been able to be around a fellow classmate with Cerebral Palsy (CP) who is 30 years of age. Through this experience I have learned so much in what he goes through.  I have researched and read articles on people with CP getting to snow ski, as well as interviewing my classmate with CP about snow skiing.

The information that I found online about people with CP being able to snow ski was astounding. My classmate also gave me great information on how snow skiing for people with CP plays a major role in their life. It gives them the opportunity to get away from their everyday life of having a disability. For the longest time I thought it would be impossible for someone with CP to snow ski.  One might ask how someone with CP can prepare physically or be mentally ready to take on a challenge of snow skiing. When interviewing my classmate and doing some research, I came up with a few ideas to get them physically prepared for the slopes.

The fitness activity requires the following equipment:   CorDisc (24” diameter disc offers versatility by maximizing total body balance training for beginner as well as advanced users), Stool, and 2 Wiffle ball bats.  Place the CorDisc on top of the stool and having the individual sit on the CorDisc without letting their feet touch the ground. While the individual is sitting on the CorDisc and stool, hand them the two Wiffle ball bats to use as outriggers, which are used in downhill skiing to help with balance. The object of the activity is to simulate being on the slopes and working on balance, as well as strengthening the core and shoulder muscles.        

 

The benefits of this fitness activity include confidence, strength, piece of mind, and excitement to one day be able to snow ski. In adapted snow skiing there are two types of skis, the mono-ski and the bi-ski. Both of these skis have a seat that has a protective cover over the legs to protect the skier’s legs. The skier holds an outrigger in each hand as an aid for balance. My classmate with CP was thrilled to see this fitness activity in action and to see how well it would simulate snow skiing in a mono or bi-ski. His thoughts were that the activity best simulated someone being able on a mono-ski without being on the slopes. He also mentioned the physical benefits of this activity would play a major role in getting the patients prepared to mono- or bi-ski.

 

After the 3 weeks of this study, I have learned that people with disabilities do not have to be put aside when performing action sports. The wealth of research online celebrates the success stories of people with disabilities being able to participate in action sports with a little adaption. We as a society need to find ways include people with disabilities in the joys we have in action sports.

Check out the competitive adapted mono-ski X-games: