4 F I S I O T E R A P I E MAART 197g SOUTH AFRICAN SPORTS ASSOCIATION FOR PARAPLEGICS AND OTHER PHYSICALLY DISABLED* M E N Z O B A R R I S H t S p o r t v ir g e stre m d e s staan o n d e r b e h e e r van die S u id - A fr ik a a n s e S p o r t A sso sia sie v ir P a ra p lee en A itd e r L ig - g a a m lik ge stre m d es. S p o r t so o r te in g eslu it w o rd g e n o em , die g e sk ie d e n is van sp o rt vir g e stre m d e s w ord k o r tlik s g e sk e ts en die prestasies vein S u id -A fr ik a a n s e s p o r tlu i o p die g e b ie d w o rd b e sp re ek . K o m p e tis ie m e t n o rm a le s p o r tlu i v in d n o u o o k plaas. T h e a d v a n ta g e o f s p o r t lies in its re c re a tio n a l v a lu e w hich is a m o tiv a tin g fo rc e in th e e n jo y m e n t o f life. R e c r e a tio n h e lp s in a c h ie v in g th e p sy c h o lo g ic a l e q u i­ lib r iu m so n e c e ssa ry to th e d is a b le d p e rs o n in c o m in g to te rm s w ith h is p h y sic a l d efect. P o s s ib ly th e m o st im p o r ta n t a im o f s p o r t f o r th e d is a b le d p e rs o n is to h e lp h im r e g a in c o n ta c t w ith th e w o rld a r o u n d him . B y r e s to rin g a c tiv ity o f m in d a n d b o d y , b y in stillin g se lf-re sp e c t a n d c o m ra d e s h ip , s p o r t d e v elo p s m en ta l a ttitu d e s th a t a re e sse n tia l f o r successful so c ial r e ­ in te g r a tio n a n d , in p a r tic u la r , f o r u se fu l e m p lo y m e n t. S p o rt f o r th e d isa b le d in S o u th A f r ic a is g o v e rn e d b y th e N a tio n a l C o u n c il o f th e S o u th A fric a n S p o rts A s s o c ia tio n fo r P a ra p le g ic s a n d O th e r P h y s ic a lly D is ­ a b le d . E v e ry P ro v in c e h as r e p re s e n ta tio n o n th e N a tio n a l C o u n c il a n d e v e ry P ro v in c e h as its ow n g o v e rn in g R e g io n a l C o u n c il. T h e v a rio u s s p o rts c lu b s h a v e t h e ir o w n m a n a g e m e n t c o m m itte e s. All th o s e w h o se rv e o n th is o rg a n is a tio n , w h e th e r in a n a d m in is tr a ­ tiv e o r s p o r tin g c a p a c ity , do so o n a p u re ly v o lu n ta ry basis. C o m p e tito rs fro m th e S o u th e rn T ra n s v a a l, W e s te rn T ra n s v a a l, N o r th e rn T ra n s v a a l, O ra n g e F r e e S ta te , G r i q u a la n d W est, E a s te rn P ro v in c e , N a ta l, W e s te rn P ro v in c e , S o u th W e s t A fric a , R h o d e s ia , T ra n s k e i a n d C isk e i ta k e p a r t in th e a n n u a l N a tio n a l C h a m p io n s h ip s , w h e re th e y c o m p e te in th e fo llo w in g s p o rts : a rc h e ry , field ev en ts (discus, s h o t-p u t, ja v e lin , p re c isio n ja v e lin , c lu b -th ro w in g ), sw im m in g , w e ig h t-liftin g , ta b le -te n n is , b a s k e tb a ll, sn o o k e r, b o w ls, w h e e lc h a ir ra ce s (100m , 400m , 800m a n d 1 500m ) a n d w h e e lc h a ir' .slalom . T h e n e x t C h a m p io n s h ip s w ill b e h e ld in C a p e T o w n d u rin g th e la s t w e e k o f M a rc h th is y e a r. I n J a n u a ry 1977 th e N a tio n a l A s s o c ia tio n o f B lin d B o w le rs w as a cc ep te d as a n affiliated m e m b e r. I n 1965 th e A s s o c ia tio n re g is te re d its e m b le m w ith th e B u re a u o f H e ra ld ry . I t d e p ic ts a s p rin g b o k le a p in g th ro u g h th e w h eel o f a w h e e lc h a ir a n d th e b a d g e is a w a rd e d to a n y o n e se lec te d to re p re s e n t S o u th A fric a a t an i n te r n a tio n a l m ee tin g . T h e f a th e r o f th e w o rld -w id e m o v e m e n t o f s p o rt f o r th e p a ra ly s e d a n d o t h e r d is a b le d is P ro fe s s o r S ir L u d w ig G u ttm a n n , w h o in 1948 in E n g la n d o rg a n is e d th e first in te r n a tio n a l g a m e s f o r p a ra p le g ic s. H is d y n a m ic in flu e n c e has s p re a d w o rld -w id e a n d to d a y 58 c o u n trie s a re a ffiliated to th e f a m o u s b r o th e r h o o d o f s p o rt w h o se m o tto is “ f rie n d s h ip , u n ity a n d s p o rts ­ m a n s h ip ” . S in c e th e S to k e M a n d e v ille G a m e s f o r the P a ra ly s e d b e c a m e an in te r n a tio n a l s p o rts m o v e m e n t a n d , in d u e c o u rse , d e v e lo p e d in to a w o rld -w id e s p o rts e v e n t f o r th e p a ra ly s e d th e y h a v e b e e n h e ld a n n u a lly * T h is a r tic le h a s b e e n sh o rte n e d a n d e d ite d , t N a tio n a l C h a ir m a n , S.A . S p o rts A s s o c ia tio n fo r P a ra p le g ic s a n d O th e r P h y s ic a lly D is a b le d . o n th e sp o rts g ro u n d o f S to k e M a n d e v ille H o sp ita l T h e y a re h e ld a t th e e n d o f J u ly e ac h y e a r in o rd e r to c o m m e m o ra te th e h o ld in g o f th e first in te rn a tio n a l g a m e s in 1948. T h e first S p rin g b o k p a ra p le g ic team c o m p e te d in 1962. I t h a d o n ly th re e c o m p e tito rs , two o f w h o m r e tu r n e d w ith g o ld m ed a ls. T h is w as a w o n d e rfu l s t a r t a n d S o u th A f r ic a h a d m a d e its m ark in te rn a tio n a lly . In a d d itio n to th e S to k e M a n d e v ille G a m e s , I n te r­ n a tio n a l G a m e s a re h e ld e v e ry f o u rth y e a r, if p ossible in th e h o st c o u n try o f th e O ly m p ic G a m e s . T h e first o f th e s e w e re h e ld in 1960 in R o m e , im m e d ia te ly aftefc, th e O ly m p ic G a m e s . T h e c o m p e tito rs a n d e sc o rts w e r f f h o u se d in th e O ly m p ic v illa g e a n d th e G a m e s w e r * h e ld in o n e o f th e O ly m p ic s ta d ia . T h e se c o n d O ly m p ia d to o k p lac e in T o k y o in 1964, u n d e r s im ila r co n d itio n s. In th e five d a y s o f th e G a m e s th e r e w e re o v e r 100 000 sp e c ta to rs a n d th e T o k y o G a m e s h a d fa r-re a c h in g effects fro m t h e p o in t o f v iew o f so c ia l re -in te g ra tio n as th e J a p a n e s e G o v e rn m e n t, h a v in g re a lis e d w hat th e p a ra ly se d in th e ir w h e e lc h a irs c o u ld do in the field o f s p o rt, se t u p th e first f a c to r y sta ffed b y severely d is a b le d p e rso n s. T h e r e a r e n o w five su c h fa cto rie s, c alled Sun In d u s trie s . W h e n M e x ico w as u n a b le to host th e G a m e s f o r th e P a ra ly s e d in a d d itio n to th e O lym pics in 1968, it w as u n a n im o u s ly a g re e d to h o ld th e G am es in Isra e l a n d w h e n , in 1972, M u n ic h w as u n a b le to h o st th e G a m e s b e c a u se o f in a d e q u a te fa c ilitie s fo r w h e e lc h a irs it w as th e C ity a n d U n iv e rs ity o f H e id e l­ b e rg w h ic h b e c a m e h o sts to 1 000 p a ra p le g ic sp o rtsm e n a n d w o m e n fro m 45 c o u n trie s . I t w as fro m th e s e 1972 g a m e s th a t th e sm all c o n tin g e n t o f 22 S p rin g b o k s re ­ tu rn e d w ith 18 g o ld , 16 silv e r a n d 14 b ro n z e m edals, as well as 11 n e w w o rld re c o rd s. S o u th A f r i c a a ch iev e d 5th p lac e o v e ra ll, a m o n g s t c o u n trie s m a n y o f w hom h a d th e m a x im u m n u m b e r o f c o m p e tito rs p e rm itte d t h a t y e a r (80). I n 1972, S o u th A fric a n p a ra p le g ic s p o rts m e n and -w o m e n w e re th e h o ld e rs o f no fe w e r th a n 16 w orld re c o rd s. M a n y o f th e s e n o lo n g e r sta n d , p a r tly d u e trif th e im p le m e n ta tio n o f a n ew system o f c la ssific a tio n d is a b ility , p a rtly d u e to th e in c re d ib le a c h ie v e m e n ts ' o f d is a b le d s p o rtsm e n in re c e n t y e ars. T h e s ta n d a rd a t th e 1976 O ly m p ia d in T o r o n to w as e x c e p tio n a lly h ig h . M a rk v a n d e r R ie t, w h o h a d h e ld th e w o rld r e c o rd in th e 50m fre e sty le e v e n t sin c e 1972, b ro k e th a t re c o rd b y 0.53 sec b u t w as o n ly p la c e d th ir d in the e v en t. E lb e rto E n g e lb re c h t sh o t 22 p o in ts a b o v e the e x is tin g w o rld re c o rd f o r th e s h o r t m e tr ic ro u n d in a rc h e r y b u t w as o n ly p la c e d 6th. T w o N o r th A m e ric a n p e rfo rm a n c e s , in p a r tic u la r , w e re o u ts ta n d in g — those o f A m e ric a n D a v id K ile y w h o c o v e re d th e 1 500m w h e e lc h a ir ra c e in 5 m in . 15 sec. a n d o f C a n a d ia n A r n o ld B olt, a sin g le h ig h leg a m p u te e , w h o set new w o rld re c o rd s f o r th e h ig h ju m p a n d lo n g ju m p of 1.86m a n d 2,96m re sp e c tiv e ly ! I n a G a m e s sadly p la g u e d b y p o litic a l in te rfe re n c e , th e U .S .A . w as e v e n tu a lly p lac ed first, its 97 c o m p e tito rs h av in g a c h ie v e d a to ta l o f 155 m ed a ls. S o u th A f r i c a ’s m u lti­ r a c ia l te a m o f o n ly 38 c o m p e tito rs d id w ell to w in 28 m ed a ls, its final p o s itio n b e in g 15th o f th e 38 c o u n trie s w ho h a d re m a in e d to c o m p e te in th e G am es. A fte r th e C a n a d ia n G a m e s th e N a t io n a l C o u n c il to o k a c ritic a l lo o k a t th e se t-u p in S o u th A f r ic a a nd R ep ro du ce d by S ab in et G at ew ay u nd er li ce nc e gr an te d by th e P ub lis he r (d at ed 2 01 3. ) n p o inted M ik e M a rc u s (N a tio n a l P re s id e n t o f th e 7 * S p o rts A s s o c ia tio n f o r P a ra p le g ic s a n d O th e r physically D is a b le d ) as N a tio n a l C o a c h C o n v e n o r. TT0 p m en in th e ir field w e re in v ite d to b e e x a m in e rs a n d c o u rse s o n d iffe re n t s p o rts h a v e b e en h e ld in different cen tres. P e rm a n e n t s u b -c o m m itte e s h a v e also been fo rm e d f o r e ac h s p o r t a n d th e s e a re re s p o n s ib le for r e p o rtin g to th e N a tio n a l C o a c h C o n v e n o r. T h e aim is to e n s u re th a t th e A s s o c ia tio n h a s sufficient c o a c h e s w h o a re f u lly p ro fic ie n t in th e ir field a n d can give o u r c o m p e tito rs th e in te n s iv e c o a c h in g w h ic h they w ill n e ed if S o u th A f r ic a is g o in g to k e e p u p wjth th e re st o f th e w o rld in th e field o f sp o rts f o r the d isa b le d . T h e n e x t O ly m p ia d w ill b e h e ld in 1980 and w ill in c lu d e th e b lin d , a m p u te e s a n d c e re b ra l palsied in a d d itio n to th e p a ra ly s e d . S o u t h A f r ic a h a s b e e n a fu ll m e m b e r o f th e I n te r ­ n a tio n a l S to k e M a n d e v ille G a m e s F e d e r a tio n since 1962 a n d in 1975 w as a c c e p te d as a fu ll m e m b e r o f th e I n t e r n a t i o n a l S p o rts O rg a n is a tio n f o r th e D is a b le d . T h e Springbok te a m o f 1975, a n d a ll su c c e e d in g te a m s, w e re MARCH 1979 5 m u lti-ra c ia l tea m s se le c te d a t m u lti-ra c ia l tria ls. T h e C o n s titu tio n o f th e S.A . S p o rts A s s o c ia tio n fo r P a r a ­ p leg ic s a n d O th e r P h y s ic a lly D is a b le d (w hich is a c c e p te d b y b o th th e I.S .M .G .F . a n d th e I.S .O .D .) s ta te s th a t it w ill r e n d e r its se rv ic e s to a ll r a c ia l g ro u p s in S o u th A f r ic a a n d w ill p r o v id e f o r th e s p o rtin g n e e d s o f th o se w h o a re p h y sic a lly d is a b le d irre s p e c tiv e o f ra c e , re lig io n , n a tio n a l o rig in o r id ea lo g y . T h e a c h ie v e m e n ts o f d is a b le d s p o rts m e n a n d w o m e n h a v e s p re a d b e y o n d th e b o u n d s o f s p o rt f o r th e d is ­ a b le d . I n th e W e s te rn P ro v in c e , m e m b e rs o f th e P ro te a C lu b h a v e b een ta k in g p a r t in th e a b le -b o d ie d a rc h e ry a n d W e s te rn P r o v in c e T a b le te n n is leag u es f o r th e p a s t six y e ars. T e a m s f r o m th e S o u th e rn T r a n s v a a l a n d th e O ra n g e F r e e S ta te a lso ta k e p a r t in a b le -b o d ie d ta b le te n n is lea g u es. T h r o u g h th e ir a c h ie v e m e n ts, th e d is ­ a b le d h a v e b ro u g h t a g e n e ra l a w a re n e ss o f th e ir c a p a ­ b ilitie s to th e a tte n tio n o f e m p lo y e rs . T h e y h a v e d e m o n ­ stra te d t h a t a b ility , a n d n o t d is a b ility , c o u n ts a n d th a t, g iv e n a n e q u al c h a n c e , th e y can a n d in f a c t do h o ld th e i r o w n in m a n y fields o f e m p lo y m e n t. P H Y S I O T H E R A P Y CLASSIFICATION IN SPORT FOR THE DISABLED C. K.. V A N R E N S B U R G , B.Sc. (P h y s io th e ra p y ) (W itw a te rsra n d )* D ie d o e l van k la ssifik a sie is o m regverdige k o m - pelisle aan a lm a l le v erskaf. D il v a rieer van e e n v o u d ig lot baie in g e w ik k e ld en w o rd g e d u rig hersien en ver- ander. D ie h e rsie n e k la ssifik a sie , g e b a se er o p n euro- logiese o n d e rso e k , w o rd b e sk ry f. T h e p u rp o s e o f c la ss ific a tio n in s p o r t f o r th e d is ­ abled is to e n d e a v o u r to p r o v id e f a ir c o m p e titio n acc o rd in g to th e d e g re e o f d isa b ility . S p o rt f o r th e d is ­ abled is e x p a n d in g r a p id ly a n d n o w in c lu d e s s p o r t fo r the b lin d , fo r a m p u te e s a n d f o r th e c e re b ra l p a ls ie d as well as th e o rig in a l p a ra p le g ic s p o r t — w h ic h is w h e e lc h a ir s p o r t f o r p a ra p le g ic s , te tra p le g ic s , sp in a bifidas a n d c o m p a ra b le p o lio m y e litis v ictim s. C la s sific a tio n f o r th e b lin d a n d f o r a m p u te e s is fa irly s tr a ig h tf o r w a r d a n d is d o n e a c c o rd in g to set \ l e s . O n th e o th e r h a n d , c la ss ific a tio n f o r th e c e re b ra l 'S r'k lsie d ' s v e fy c o m p le x a n d as y e t n o s a tis fa c to ry system o f g ro u p in g th e v a rio u s d is a b ilitie s is a v a ila b le , b u t th e in te r n a tio n a l c o m m itte e is a t p re s e n t f o r m u la t­ ing a n ew c la ss ific a tio n w h ic h w ill b e u sed a t the In te rn a tio n a l G a m e s in 1979. C la s sific a tio n o f w h e e lc h a ir a th le te s f o r p a ra p le g ic sp o rt has b e e n d o n e f o r o v e r t h ir t y y e a rs a n d th e system h as g ra d u a lly b e e n c h a n g e d , e n la rg e d a n d im ­ p ro v e d , n a rro w in g d o w n th e d iffere n ce s o f d is a b ility w ith in e a c h class a n d in tro d u c in g n ew classes w h e re necessary. I n 1963, w h e n p a ra p le g ic s p o r t w as i n tr o ­ d uced in S o u th A f r ic a , th e c la ss ific a tio n sy ste m w as ra th e r b ro a d a n d e ac h class c o m p rise d r a th e r d ifferin g lesio n s a n d d is a b ilitie s , so th a t th e m o r e se v e re ly h a n d ic a p p e d a th le te s in e ac h class w e re a t a c o n ­ sid e ra b le d is a d v a n ta g e . U n fo rtu n a te ly , e ac h tim e th e system o f c la ss ific a tio n w as re v is e d o r m o d ifie d th e p re v io u s se t o f w o rld re c o rd s w as n o lo n g e r v a lid as the o ld classes c eased to exist. T h is p r o v e d r a th e r * S e n io r P h y s io th e r a p is t, E liz a b e th C o n r a d ie S chool a n d m e m b e r o f th e C la s sific a tio n C o m m itte e f o r P a ra p le g ic S p o rt. d e m o ra lis in g to th e s p o rts m e n a n d -w o m e n w h o h a d tr a in e d so h a rd to a tt a in th ese re c o rd s. A n e w system o f c la ssific a tio n w a s e v o lv e d in 1970 a n d w as fin ally a m e n d e d a n d re v is e d in 1972. T h is fo rm o f classifi­ c a tio n w as a c c e p te d b y th e I n te r n a tio n a l S to k e M a n d e v ille G a m e s C o m m itte e in J u ly 1974 a n d a p p e a rs to g ive e a c h a th le te th e m o st f a i r c h a n c e o f c o m ­ p e tin g o n e q u a l term s. M a n y a th le te s still c o m p la in o f v a ry in g a b ilitie s w ith in th e sa m e class b u t it m u s t b e re m e m b e re d th a t a ll in d iv id u a ls , h a n d ic a p p e d o r n o t, a re b o r n w ith d iffe re n c e s in c h a r a c te r a n d te m p e ra ­ m e n t as well as d iffere n ce s in p h y s ic a l a b ility a n d it is n o t re a s o n a b le to e x p e c t a c la ss ific a tio n sy ste m o r th e m e d ic a l e x a m in e r re s p o n s ib le f o r th e c la ssific a tio n to p r o v id e c o m p le te e q u a lity o f a b ility . F o r th e p u rp o s e o f in te r n a ti o n a l c la ssifica tio n , in o r d e r to b e a c c e p te d as a m e d ic a l e x a m in e r a d o c to r m u s t c o m p le te tw o fu ll w o rk in g se ssio n s a t th e I n t e r ­ n a tio n a l S to k e M a n d e v ille G a m e s w ith in a f o u r-y e a r p e r io d a n d m u s t b e a p p ro v e d b y th e m e d ic a l s u b ­ c o m m itte e . N e w d o c to rs c la ssify a th le te s u n d e r th e s u p e rv is io n o f c o m m itte e m e m b e rs . I n S o u th A fric a w e h a v e a c la ss ific a tio n c o m m itte e c o m p ris in g five d o c to rs , o n e p h y s io th e r a p is t a n d o n e o c c u p a tio n a l th e ra p is t. T h e m e m b e rs o f th e c o m m itte e w o rk in p a ir s to c la ssify d is a b le d a th le te s, w h ile d o u b tf u l o r b o r d e rlin e cases a r e d isc u sse d b y th e fu ll c o m m itte e . T h is c o m m itte e w ill p r o b a b ly b e e n la rg e d in th e f u tu r e to e n s u re th a t all a th le te s c a n b e classified p r i o r to th e a n n u a l S o u th A f r ic a n G a m e s so t h a t th ey k n o w in a d v a n c e in w h ic h class th e y w ill b e c o m ­ p e tin g . T h e re v is e d c la ss ific a tio n sy ste m is b a se d u p o n a n e u ro lo g ic a l e x a m in a tio n in w h ic h th e stre n g th o f th e re s id u a l m u s c u la tu re o f th e c o m p e tito r is d e te rm in e d . T h e official s ta te m e n t o n c la ss ific a tio n re a d s as fo llo w s: C lass I A — u p p e r c e rv ic a l le s io n s w ith tric e p s n o t fu n c tio n a l a g a in s t g ra v ity p lu s re sista n c e (i.e. g ra d e s 1 - 3). C lass IB — lo w e r c e rv ic a l le sio n s w ith g o o d o r n o rm a l tric e p s p o w e r (g ra d e s 4 - 5), w ris t e x te n so rs a n d R ep ro du ce d by S ab in et G at ew ay u nd er li ce nc e gr an te d by th e P ub lis he r (d at ed 2 01 3. )