PARALYMPICS & TECHNOLOGY
Today, paraplegicbasketbalplayersarereachingnewheights, breakingal-time records, andprovingtheirphysicalfinesethankstomonumentaladvancementsin technology. SincetheestablishmentoftheParalympicMovementinthe1960’ s, the wheelchairusedbyparaplegicathletesonthebasketbalcourthasenduredmanysignificantchanges.
Unlikerequirementsthatneedtobemetbyequipmentforswimmingandrunning, thewheelchairdesignforparaplegicbasketbalplayersishinderedbynolimitationsapartfrom thosethatregulatesize.
Overtheyears, wheelchairmanufacturershavesoughttoprogresanathlete’ s turningcircleandmoreover, enhancethedesigntoalowathlete’ stomakesharpturns easily. Fortunately, thebirthofcamberedwheelshavemadegracefulmovementaposibility. Additionaly, thewheelchairdesignhasseentheintroductionofcarbonfibre spokestoenhancedurability, andrearcastorwheelstopreventathletesfrom faling backwards.
Itisexpectedthatthefuturewilseelighter, faster, andmoredurablewheelchairs althoughchairsmanufacturedtodayweighonlyastartling19pounds. Itisanticipated thatcarbonfibretechnologywilfurtheraltertheworldofparaplegicbasketbalplayers andchangetheglobalperceptionoftheparaplegiccommunity.
11 HoopsMagazine2013