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In the spirit of the 2010 Vancouver Paralympic games taking place this March, we wanted to take a closer look at some of the astounding tech advancements that are enabling parathletes to compete and perform at their optimum. Paralymics bring together athletes from around the world, not only showcasing their talent but also the best in sports technology.
The Paralympics began just a little after World War II, owing its existence to an English doctor named Sir Ludwig Guttman, who advocated the use of sports as therapy for those wounded and injured in the war. For decades, only wheelchair athletes were invited to compete. It wouldn’t be until 1976, the year of the Montreal Olympics, that the Paralympics would begin to include athletes from other disability groups as well.
And now, for some of the remarkable sports technologies, designed specially for Paralympic athletes today.

Carbon-fiber Flex Foot Cheetahs

The Flex-Foot Cheetah is inspired by the shape of a cheetah’s rear leg and can carry up to 325 lbs. Made of carbon fiber, this prosthetic sprinting foot is agile, resistant and allows runners to jump and to run just as fast as able-bodied runners. The current world record for the 100 meter sprint by an amputee athlete is 11.03 seconds- only about a second slower than the fastest Olympic sprinters.

This ground-breaking technology is so advanced in fact, that in 2007 the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) claimed that runners with artificial lower legs had an unfair advantage over able-bodied runners. Oscar Pistorius, a.k.a. “Blade Runner” or “the fastest man on no legs” was the notable case that set off these allegations, when he took part in his first international able-bodied competitions. This was at the same time the IAAF decided to amend its competition rules, banning the use:

[…]of any technical device that incorporates springs, wheels or any other element that provides a user with an advantage over another athlete not using such a device.

A group of German scientists claimed that a Flex-Foot was 30% more efficient than a human ankle and allowed a runner to use 25% less energy than able-bodied runners running at the same speed. Scientists at MIT countered these claims, stating the research did not take disadvantages into account, such as slower starts. They determined that prosthetic limbs produce lower ground reaction forces than those of the average sprinter and that the prosthetics do not in fact provide an overall advantage.

Sports Wheelchairs

The Paralympics wheelchair games are the second largest sporting event in the world next to the Olympics. Sports wheelchairs, also known as “wheelchairs with attitude” must be capable of withstanding the rigors of rugby, basketball, racing, curling, fencing and tennis among other sports. Cost of a sports wheelchair can range anywhere from $2,800 to $11,000 and most chairs are made from titanium or aircraft aluminum, with highly specialized equipment built for each particular wheelchair sports.
Depending on the activity, the wheelchair may be geared for speed, maneuverability or strength. The design of sports wheelchairs are quite unique, with pronounced wheel angles that inhibit tipping and falling. This is especially beneficial during fast, sharp turns, like in rugby for instance.

Monoskis/Sit-Skis

A monoski, also known as a ”sit-ski”, consists of a molded seat mounted on a metal frame. A shock absorber beneath the seat absorbs uneven terrain and helps in turning. Modern monoskis interface with a single, ordinary alpine ski by means of a “ski foot,” a metal or plastic block in the shape of a boot sole that clicks into the ski’s binding. A monoskier uses ”outriggers’ for stability, essentially a forearm crutch with a short ski on the bottom. Advanced monoskiers can be found not only carving turns on groomed runs but also skiing moguls, terrain parks, race courses, glades and even backcountry terrain.

Sledge Hockey Sledge/Skates

Ice sledge or sled hockey made its Paralympic debut at the 1994 Paralympic Winter Games in Lillehammer, however the sport was invented at a Swedish rehabilitation centre in the early 1960’s by a group of disabled athletes who still wanted to take part in the sport. The first sledges were a rustic combination of two regular ice hockey skates with a metal frame (called a sledge) fit on top. They used short poles to propel themselves along the ice.

Now, sledge hockey players sit on sledges made of aluminum or steel. Two standard skate blades are attached to the bottom of the frame of the sled and can be adjusted based on the player’s balance and skill level. Players’ feet, ankles, knees, and hips are strapped to the sled to ensure they are properly secured. The sledge has to have a backrest, but it cannot protrude laterally beyond the armpits. Players use two sticks – one in each hand — which have a spike-end for pushing the sledge and a blade-end for shooting the puck. Sledges are 0.6m to 1.2m in length with a curved front end.